diff --git a/r/src/arrow_cpp11.h b/r/src/arrow_cpp11.h
index f1338c02ca6..123875325c6 100644
--- a/r/src/arrow_cpp11.h
+++ b/r/src/arrow_cpp11.h
@@ -407,6 +407,12 @@ cpp11::writable::list to_r_list(const std::vector<std::shared_ptr<T>>& x) {
 }  // namespace r
 }  // namespace arrow
 
+struct r_vec_size {
+  explicit r_vec_size(R_xlen_t x) : value(x) {}
+
+  R_xlen_t value;
+};
+
 namespace cpp11 {
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -428,4 +434,13 @@ SEXP as_sexp(const std::shared_ptr<T>& ptr) {
   return cpp11::to_r6<T>(ptr);
 }
 
+inline SEXP as_sexp(r_vec_size size) {
+  R_xlen_t x = size.value;
+  if (x > std::numeric_limits<int>::max()) {
+    return Rf_ScalarReal(x);
+  } else {
+    return Rf_ScalarInteger(x);
+  }
+}
+
 }  // namespace cpp11
diff --git a/r/src/recordbatch.cpp b/r/src/recordbatch.cpp
index 558628a9ccb..01bd8a3f35b 100644
--- a/r/src/recordbatch.cpp
+++ b/r/src/recordbatch.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ int RecordBatch__num_columns(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::RecordBatch>& x) {
 }
 
 // [[arrow::export]]
-int RecordBatch__num_rows(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::RecordBatch>& x) {
-  return x->num_rows();
+r_vec_size RecordBatch__num_rows(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::RecordBatch>& x) {
+  return r_vec_size(x->num_rows());
 }
 
 // [[arrow::export]]
diff --git a/r/src/table.cpp b/r/src/table.cpp
index 051647979f5..07bf44750a1 100644
--- a/r/src/table.cpp
+++ b/r/src/table.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ int Table__num_columns(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::Table>& x) {
 }
 
 // [[arrow::export]]
-int Table__num_rows(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::Table>& x) { return x->num_rows(); }
+r_vec_size Table__num_rows(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::Table>& x) {
+  return r_vec_size(x->num_rows());
+}
 
 // [[arrow::export]]
 std::shared_ptr<arrow::Schema> Table__schema(const std::shared_ptr<arrow::Table>& x) {