diff --git a/tools/cldr-code/src/main/java/org/unicode/cldr/util/Units.java b/tools/cldr-code/src/main/java/org/unicode/cldr/util/Units.java
index e8ef091dcda..68e4e9f9825 100644
--- a/tools/cldr-code/src/main/java/org/unicode/cldr/util/Units.java
+++ b/tools/cldr-code/src/main/java/org/unicode/cldr/util/Units.java
@@ -109,10 +109,12 @@ public static TypeAndCore splitUnit(String longOrShortUnit, TypeAndCore typeAndC
     }
 
     public static String getShort(String longUnit) {
-        return LONG_TO_SHORT.get(longUnit);
+        String result = LONG_TO_SHORT.get(longUnit);
+        return result == null ? longUnit : result;
     }
 
     public static String getLong(String shortId) {
-        return LONG_TO_SHORT.inverse().get(shortId);
+        String result = LONG_TO_SHORT.inverse().get(shortId);
+        return result == null ? shortId : result;
     }
 }
diff --git a/tools/cldr-code/src/test/java/org/unicode/cldr/unittest/TestUnits.java b/tools/cldr-code/src/test/java/org/unicode/cldr/unittest/TestUnits.java
index a2c94c4cd6e..f0cb225c4a4 100644
--- a/tools/cldr-code/src/test/java/org/unicode/cldr/unittest/TestUnits.java
+++ b/tools/cldr-code/src/test/java/org/unicode/cldr/unittest/TestUnits.java
@@ -4382,7 +4382,31 @@ public void testPreferencesWithLocales() {
                                 "default",
                                 "en-u-mu-stone",
                                 Rational.TWO,
-                                "stone"));
+                                "stone"),
+                        List.of(
+                                1,
+                                MeasureUnit.forIdentifier(
+                                        "candela"), // a unit whose quantity has no preference data
+                                "default",
+                                "en",
+                                Rational.ONE,
+                                "candela"),
+                        List.of(
+                                1,
+                                MeasureUnit.forIdentifier(
+                                        "candela-per-byte"), // a unit that has no quantity
+                                "default",
+                                "en",
+                                Rational.of(1, 8),
+                                "candela-per-bit"),
+                        List.of(
+                                1,
+                                MeasureUnit.forIdentifier(
+                                        "candela-per-cubic-foot"), // a unit that has no quantity
+                                "default",
+                                "en",
+                                Rational.of(1953125000, 55306341),
+                                "candela-per-cubic-meter"));
         for (boolean isICU : List.of(false, true)) {
             for (List<Object> test : tests) {
                 String actualUnit;
@@ -4400,16 +4424,15 @@ public void testPreferencesWithLocales() {
                         Rational rationalAmount = Rational.of(sourceAmount.toString());
                         UnitPreferences prefs = SDI.getUnitPreferences();
                         final ULocale uLocale = ULocale.forLanguageTag(languageTag);
-                        UnitPreference unitPreference1 =
+                        UnitPreference unitPreference =
                                 prefs.getUnitPreference(
                                         rationalAmount, sourceUnitString, usage, uLocale);
-                        if (unitPreference1 == null) { // if the quantity isn't found
+                        if (unitPreference == null) { // if the quantity isn't found
                             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
                                     String.format(
                                             "No unit preferences found for unit: %s, usage: %s, locale:%s",
                                             sourceUnitString, usage, languageTag));
                         }
-                        UnitPreference unitPreference = unitPreference1;
                         actualUnit = unitPreference.unit;
                         actualValue =
                                 converter.convert(