diff --git a/arrow-buffer/src/buffer/immutable.rs b/arrow-buffer/src/buffer/immutable.rs
index 8d1a46583fca..7254313b7da5 100644
--- a/arrow-buffer/src/buffer/immutable.rs
+++ b/arrow-buffer/src/buffer/immutable.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use crate::alloc::{Allocation, Deallocation, ALIGNMENT};
 use crate::util::bit_chunk_iterator::{BitChunks, UnalignedBitChunk};
 use crate::BufferBuilder;
-use crate::{bytes::Bytes, native::ArrowNativeType};
+use crate::{bit_util, bytes::Bytes, native::ArrowNativeType};
 
 use super::ops::bitwise_unary_op_helper;
 use super::{MutableBuffer, ScalarBuffer};
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ impl Buffer {
     /// otherwise a new buffer is allocated and filled with a copy of the bits in the range.
     pub fn bit_slice(&self, offset: usize, len: usize) -> Self {
         if offset % 8 == 0 {
-            return self.slice(offset / 8);
+            return self.slice_with_length(offset / 8, bit_util::ceil(len, 8));
         }
 
         bitwise_unary_op_helper(self, offset, len, |a| a)
@@ -860,4 +860,37 @@ mod tests {
         let iter_len = usize::MAX / std::mem::size_of::<u64>() + 1;
         let _ = Buffer::from_iter(std::iter::repeat(0_u64).take(iter_len));
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn bit_slice_length_preserved() {
+        // Create a boring buffer
+        let buf = Buffer::from_iter(std::iter::repeat(true).take(64));
+
+        let assert_preserved = |offset: usize, len: usize| {
+            let new_buf = buf.bit_slice(offset, len);
+            assert_eq!(new_buf.len(), bit_util::ceil(len, 8));
+
+            // if the offset is not byte-aligned, we have to create a deep copy to a new buffer
+            // (since the `offset` value inside a Buffer is byte-granular, not bit-granular), so
+            // checking the offset should always return 0 if so. If the offset IS byte-aligned, we
+            // want to make sure it doesn't unnecessarily create a deep copy.
+            if offset % 8 == 0 {
+                assert_eq!(new_buf.ptr_offset(), offset / 8);
+            } else {
+                assert_eq!(new_buf.ptr_offset(), 0);
+            }
+        };
+
+        // go through every available value for offset
+        for o in 0..=64 {
+            // and go through every length that could accompany that offset - we can't have a
+            // situation where offset + len > 64, because that would go past the end of the buffer,
+            // so we use the map to ensure it's in range.
+            for l in (o..=64).map(|l| l - o) {
+                // and we just want to make sure every one of these keeps its offset and length
+                // when neeeded
+                assert_preserved(o, l);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs b/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs
index ae3475c7c7d7..e65295e8750f 100644
--- a/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs
+++ b/arrow-flight/src/encode.rs
@@ -1741,7 +1741,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let batch = RecordBatch::try_from_iter(vec![("a1", Arc::new(array) as _)]).unwrap();
 
-        verify_encoded_split(batch, 160).await;
+        verify_encoded_split(batch, 48).await;
     }
 
     #[tokio::test]