diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-mac.yml b/.github/workflows/test-mac.yml
index 042b4d3f1..9cfa4d4f7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-mac.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-mac.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ jobs:
           brew install coreutils pkg-config icu4c
           export PATH="/usr/local/opt/icu4c/bin:/usr/local/opt/icu4c/sbin:$PATH"
           export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$PKG_CONFIG_PATH:/usr/local/opt/icu4c/lib/pkgconfig"
+
+          export LDFLAGS="-L/usr/local/opt/icu4c/lib"
+          export CPPFLAGS="-I/usr/local/opt/icu4c/include"
+
           # ensure system clang is used for proper libstdc++
           # https://github.com/ovalhub/pyicu/issues/5#issuecomment-291631507
           unset CC CXX