diff --git a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_schema_test.cc b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_schema_test.cc
index 31ead461aa6e2..9350922b2053e 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_schema_test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/arrow_schema_test.cc
@@ -757,14 +757,13 @@ TEST_F(TestConvertParquetSchema, ParquetSchemaArrowExtensions) {
 
   {
     // Parquet file does not contain Arrow schema.
-    // If Arrow extensions are enabled, both fields should be treated as json() extension
-    // fields.
+    // If Arrow extensions are enabled, fields will be interpreted as json(utf8())
+    // extension fields.
     ArrowReaderProperties props;
     props.set_arrow_extensions_enabled(true);
     auto arrow_schema = ::arrow::schema(
         {::arrow::field("json_1", ::arrow::extension::json(), true),
-         ::arrow::field("json_2", ::arrow::extension::json(::arrow::large_utf8()),
-                        true)});
+         ::arrow::field("json_2", ::arrow::extension::json(::arrow::utf8()), true)});
     std::shared_ptr<KeyValueMetadata> metadata{};
     ASSERT_OK(ConvertSchema(parquet_fields, metadata, props));
     CheckFlatSchema(arrow_schema);
@@ -772,8 +771,8 @@ TEST_F(TestConvertParquetSchema, ParquetSchemaArrowExtensions) {
 
   {
     // Parquet file contains Arrow schema.
-    // Both json_1 and json_2 should be returned as a json() field
-    // even though extensions are not enabled.
+    // json_1 and json_2 will be interpreted as json(utf8()) and json(large_utf8())
+    // fields even though extensions are not enabled.
     ArrowReaderProperties props;
     props.set_arrow_extensions_enabled(false);
     std::shared_ptr<KeyValueMetadata> field_metadata =
@@ -791,7 +790,7 @@ TEST_F(TestConvertParquetSchema, ParquetSchemaArrowExtensions) {
 
   {
     // Parquet file contains Arrow schema. Extensions are enabled.
-    // Both json_1 and json_2 should be returned as a json() field
+    // json_1 and json_2 will be interpreted as json(utf8()) and json(large_utf8()).
     ArrowReaderProperties props;
     props.set_arrow_extensions_enabled(true);
     std::shared_ptr<KeyValueMetadata> field_metadata =
diff --git a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/schema.cc b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/schema.cc
index 1623d80dcb0e4..ef175668b0bcc 100644
--- a/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/schema.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/parquet/arrow/schema.cc
@@ -1017,7 +1017,9 @@ Result<bool> ApplyOriginalMetadata(const Field& origin_field, SchemaField* infer
 
       // Restore extension type, if the storage type is the same as inferred
       // from the Parquet type
-      if (ex_type.storage_type()->Equals(*inferred->field->type())) {
+      if (ex_type.storage_type()->Equals(*inferred->field->type()) ||
+          (ex_type.extension_name() == "arrow.json" &&
+           !ex_type.storage_type()->Equals(*inferred->field->type()))) {
         inferred->field = inferred->field->WithType(origin_type);
       }
     }