diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/io/io-file-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/io/io-file-test.cc
index d3ef90800f8..78ca0739ed5 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/io/io-file-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/io/io-file-test.cc
@@ -322,6 +322,9 @@ TEST_F(TestReadableFile, SeekTellSize) {
   ASSERT_OK(file_->GetSize(&size));
   ASSERT_EQ(8, size);
 
+  ASSERT_OK(file_->Tell(&position));
+  ASSERT_EQ(100, position);
+
   // does not support zero copy
   ASSERT_FALSE(file_->supports_zero_copy());
 }
@@ -538,6 +541,12 @@ TEST_F(TestPipeIO, TestWrite) {
   ASSERT_EQ(bytes_read, 0);
 }
 
+TEST_F(TestPipeIO, ReadableFileFails) {
+  // ReadableFile fails on non-seekable fd
+  std::shared_ptr<ReadableFile> file;
+  ASSERT_RAISES(IOError, ReadableFile::Open(r_, &file));
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Memory map tests
 
@@ -553,7 +562,7 @@ TEST_F(TestMemoryMappedFile, ZeroSizeFlie) {
   std::shared_ptr<MemoryMappedFile> result;
   ASSERT_OK(InitMemoryMap(0, path, &result));
 
-  int64_t size = 0;
+  int64_t size = -1;
   ASSERT_OK(result->Tell(&size));
   ASSERT_EQ(0, size);
 }
@@ -566,7 +575,7 @@ TEST_F(TestMemoryMappedFile, WriteRead) {
 
   const int reps = 5;
 
-  std::string path = "ipc-write-read-test";
+  std::string path = "io-memory-map-write-read-test";
   std::shared_ptr<MemoryMappedFile> result;
   ASSERT_OK(InitMemoryMap(reps * buffer_size, path, &result));
 
@@ -582,6 +591,20 @@ TEST_F(TestMemoryMappedFile, WriteRead) {
   }
 }
 
+TEST_F(TestMemoryMappedFile, GetSize) {
+  std::string path = "io-memory-map-get-size";
+  std::shared_ptr<MemoryMappedFile> result;
+  ASSERT_OK(InitMemoryMap(16384, path, &result));
+
+  int64_t size = -1;
+  ASSERT_OK(result->GetSize(&size));
+  ASSERT_EQ(16384, size);
+
+  int64_t position = -1;
+  ASSERT_OK(result->Tell(&position));
+  ASSERT_EQ(0, position);
+}
+
 TEST_F(TestMemoryMappedFile, ReadOnly) {
   const int64_t buffer_size = 1024;
   std::vector<uint8_t> buffer(buffer_size);
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/io-util.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/io-util.cc
index 10a30df5e57..03edc183886 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/io-util.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/io-util.cc
@@ -255,25 +255,32 @@ Status FileSeek(int fd, int64_t pos, int whence) {
 Status FileSeek(int fd, int64_t pos) { return FileSeek(fd, pos, SEEK_SET); }
 
 Status FileGetSize(int fd, int64_t* size) {
-  int64_t ret;
-
-  // XXX Should use fstat() instead, but this function also ensures the
-  // file is seekable
-
-  // Save current position
-  int64_t current_position = lseek64_compat(fd, 0, SEEK_CUR);
-  CHECK_LSEEK(current_position);
-
-  // Move to end of the file, which returns the file length
-  ret = lseek64_compat(fd, 0, SEEK_END);
-  CHECK_LSEEK(ret);
-
-  *size = ret;
+#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+  struct __stat64 st;
+#else
+  struct stat st;
+#endif
+  st.st_size = -1;
 
-  // Restore file position
-  ret = lseek64_compat(fd, current_position, SEEK_SET);
-  CHECK_LSEEK(ret);
+#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+  int ret = _fstat64(fd, &st);
+#else
+  int ret = fstat(fd, &st);
+#endif
 
+  if (ret == -1) {
+    return Status::IOError("error stat()ing file");
+  }
+  if (st.st_size == 0) {
+    // Maybe the file doesn't support getting its size, double-check by
+    // trying to tell() (seekable files usually have a size, while
+    // non-seekable files don't)
+    int64_t position;
+    RETURN_NOT_OK(FileTell(fd, &position));
+  } else if (st.st_size < 0) {
+    return Status::IOError("error getting file size");
+  }
+  *size = st.st_size;
   return Status::OK();
 }
 
diff --git a/python/pyarrow/tests/test_io.py b/python/pyarrow/tests/test_io.py
index 15116007777..02851bee08d 100644
--- a/python/pyarrow/tests/test_io.py
+++ b/python/pyarrow/tests/test_io.py
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ def test_python_file_read():
     assert v == b'sample data'
     assert len(v) == 11
 
+    assert f.size() == len(data)
+
     f.close()