diff --git a/arrow-array/src/array/fixed_size_binary_array.rs b/arrow-array/src/array/fixed_size_binary_array.rs
index 74a7c4c7a84a..9bad55894852 100644
--- a/arrow-array/src/array/fixed_size_binary_array.rs
+++ b/arrow-array/src/array/fixed_size_binary_array.rs
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@ impl FixedSizeBinaryArray {
         self.value_length
     }
 
-    /// Returns a clone of the value data buffer
-    pub fn value_data(&self) -> Buffer {
-        self.value_data.clone()
+    /// Returns the value buffer.
+    pub fn value_data(&self) -> &Buffer {
+        &self.value_data
     }
 
     /// Returns a zero-copy slice of this array with the indicated offset and length.