diff --git a/r/R/dataset-write.R b/r/R/dataset-write.R
index 09b3ebdbe69..bcb90a7ffce 100644
--- a/r/R/dataset-write.R
+++ b/r/R/dataset-write.R
@@ -206,9 +206,13 @@ write_dataset <- function(dataset,
   validate_positive_int_value(min_rows_per_group)
   validate_positive_int_value(max_rows_per_group)
 
+  source_schema <- source_data(dataset)$schema
+  # For backwards compatibility with Scanner-based writer (arrow <= 7.0.0):
+  # retain metadata from source dataset
+  output_schema$metadata <- source_schema$metadata
   new_r_meta <- get_r_metadata_from_old_schema(
     output_schema,
-    source_data(dataset)$schema,
+    source_schema,
     drop_attributes = has_aggregation(dataset)
   )
   if (!is.null(new_r_meta)) {
diff --git a/r/tests/testthat/test-metadata.R b/r/tests/testthat/test-metadata.R
index 4421c81673d..986b1d802ca 100644
--- a/r/tests/testthat/test-metadata.R
+++ b/r/tests/testthat/test-metadata.R
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ test_that("RecordBatch metadata", {
 })
 
 test_that("RecordBatch R metadata", {
-
   expect_identical(as.data.frame(record_batch(example_with_metadata)), example_with_metadata)
 })
 
@@ -306,7 +305,11 @@ test_that("Dataset writing does handle other metadata", {
   skip_if_not_available("parquet")
 
   dst_dir <- make_temp_dir()
-  write_dataset(example_with_metadata, dst_dir, partitioning = "b")
+  tab <- Table$create(example_with_metadata)
+  # Tack on extra non-R metadata: sfarrow 0.4.1 relies on this
+  tab$metadata[["other_stuff"]] <- "hello"
+
+  write_dataset(tab, dst_dir, partitioning = "b")
 
   ds <- open_dataset(dst_dir)
   expect_equal(
@@ -316,6 +319,9 @@ test_that("Dataset writing does handle other metadata", {
       collect(),
     example_with_metadata
   )
+
+  # Check for that extra metadata in the schema:
+  expect_equal(ds$metadata$other_stuff, "hello")
 })
 
 test_that("dplyr with metadata", {