diff --git a/icu.gni b/icu.gni
index 0203735b..8756c1be 100644
--- a/icu.gni
+++ b/icu.gni
@@ -15,4 +15,6 @@ declare_args() {
   icu_support_locales = true
   build_feature = "normal"
   icu_support_libbegetutil = true
+  distro_tzdata_dir = "\"/system/etc/tzdata_distro\""
+  system_tzdata_dir = "\"/system/etc/icu_tzdata\""
 }
diff --git a/icu4c/BUILD.gn b/icu4c/BUILD.gn
index df87ab14..cfada17c 100644
--- a/icu4c/BUILD.gn
+++ b/icu4c/BUILD.gn
@@ -539,6 +539,8 @@ ohos_shared_library("shared_icuuc") {
     "UPRV_BLOCK_MACRO_END=",
     "UCONFIG_USE_WINDOWS_LCID_MAPPING_API=0",
     "_REENTRANT",
+    "DISTRO_TZDATA_DIR=${distro_tzdata_dir}",
+    "SYSTEM_TZDATA_DIR=${system_tzdata_dir}",
   ]
   if (!is_mingw) {
     defines += [ "ICU_SUPPORT_DISTRO" ]
diff --git a/icu4c/source/common/udata.cpp b/icu4c/source/common/udata.cpp
index aa115877..91bd98d8 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/common/udata.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/common/udata.cpp
@@ -1308,16 +1308,29 @@ doOpenChoice(const char *path, const char *type, const char *name,
 
     /****    Time zone individual files override  */
     if (isICUData && isTimeZoneFile(name, type)) {
+#ifdef DISTRO_TZDATA_DIR
+        const char* distroTzdataDir = DISTRO_TZDATA_DIR;
+        retVal = doLoadFromIndividualFiles(/* pkgName.data() */ "", distroTzdataDir, tocEntryPathSuffix,
+                        /* path */ "", type, name, isAcceptable, context, &subErrorCode, pErrorCode);
+        if((retVal != NULL) || U_FAILURE(*pErrorCode)) {
+            return retVal;
+        }
+#endif
+
+#ifdef SYSTEM_TZDATA_DIR
+        const char* systemTzdataDir = SYSTEM_TZDATA_DIR;
+        retVal = doLoadFromIndividualFiles(/* pkgName.data() */ "", systemTzdataDir, tocEntryPathSuffix,
+                        /* path */ "", type, name, isAcceptable, context, &subErrorCode, pErrorCode);
+        if((retVal != NULL) || U_FAILURE(*pErrorCode)) {
+            return retVal;
+        }
+#endif
+
         const char *tzFilesDir = u_getTimeZoneFilesDirectory(pErrorCode);
         if (tzFilesDir[0] != 0) {
 #ifdef UDATA_DEBUG
             fprintf(stderr, "Trying Time Zone Files directory = %s\n", tzFilesDir);
 #endif
-            retVal = doLoadFromIndividualFiles(/* pkgName.data() */ "", tzFilesDir, tocEntryPathSuffix,
-                            /* path */ "", type, name, isAcceptable, context, &subErrorCode, pErrorCode);
-            if((retVal != NULL) || U_FAILURE(*pErrorCode)) {
-                return retVal;
-            }
             retVal = doLoadFromCommonData(isICUData,
                 "icu_tzdata", tzFilesDir, tocEntryPathSuffix, tocEntryName.data(),
                 "icu_tzdata", type, name, isAcceptable, context, &subErrorCode, pErrorCode);
diff --git a/icu4c/source/ohos/distro_tzdata_loader.cpp b/icu4c/source/ohos/distro_tzdata_loader.cpp
index b275271b..28714602 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/ohos/distro_tzdata_loader.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/ohos/distro_tzdata_loader.cpp
@@ -22,20 +22,14 @@
 namespace OHOS {
 namespace Global {
 namespace I18n {
-const char *DistroTZDataLoader::ICU_TZDATA_PATH = "/system/etc/tzdata_distro/icu/icu_tzdata.dat";
-const char *DistroTZDataLoader::DISTRO_TZDATA_PATH = "/system/etc/tzdata_distro/icu";
+const char *DistroTZDataLoader::ICU_TZDATA_PATH = "/system/etc/tzdata_distro/icu_tzdata.dat";
+const char *DistroTZDataLoader::DISTRO_TZDATA_PATH = "/system/etc/tzdata_distro";
 const char *DistroTZDataLoader::TZDATA_PATH = "/system/etc/icu_tzdata";
 const char *DistroTZDataLoader::ICU_TIMEZONE_FILES_DIR = "ICU_TIMEZONE_FILES_DIR";
 
 void DistroTZDataLoader::SetDistroTZDataPath()
 {
 #ifdef ICU_SUPPORT_DISTRO
-    // if distro_tzdata_path is exist, use distro tzdata first
-    if (CheckFileExist()) {
-        setenv(ICU_TIMEZONE_FILES_DIR, DISTRO_TZDATA_PATH, 1);
-    } else {
-        setenv(ICU_TIMEZONE_FILES_DIR, TZDATA_PATH, 1);
-    }
 #endif
 }