diff --git a/arrow-row/src/lib.rs b/arrow-row/src/lib.rs
index 28c65c5994bf..361b5544149a 100644
--- a/arrow-row/src/lib.rs
+++ b/arrow-row/src/lib.rs
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ use std::hash::{Hash, Hasher};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use arrow_array::cast::*;
-use arrow_array::types::{ArrowDictionaryKeyType, ByteViewType};
+use arrow_array::types::{ArrowDictionaryKeyType, ByteArrayType, ByteViewType};
 use arrow_array::*;
 use arrow_buffer::{ArrowNativeType, Buffer, OffsetBuffer, ScalarBuffer};
 use arrow_data::{ArrayData, ArrayDataBuilder};
@@ -1545,27 +1545,11 @@ fn row_lengths(cols: &[ArrayRef], encoders: &[Encoder]) -> LengthTracker {
                     array => tracker.push_fixed(fixed::encoded_len(array)),
                     DataType::Null => {},
                     DataType::Boolean => tracker.push_fixed(bool::ENCODED_LEN),
-                    DataType::Binary => tracker.push_variable(
-                        as_generic_binary_array::<i32>(array)
-                            .iter()
-                            .map(|slice| variable::encoded_len(slice))
-                    ),
-                    DataType::LargeBinary => tracker.push_variable(
-                        as_generic_binary_array::<i64>(array)
-                            .iter()
-                            .map(|slice| variable::encoded_len(slice))
-                    ),
+                    DataType::Binary => push_generic_byte_array_lengths(&mut tracker, as_generic_binary_array::<i32>(array)),
+                    DataType::LargeBinary => push_generic_byte_array_lengths(&mut tracker, as_generic_binary_array::<i64>(array)),
                     DataType::BinaryView => push_byte_view_array_lengths(&mut tracker, array.as_binary_view()),
-                    DataType::Utf8 => tracker.push_variable(
-                        array.as_string::<i32>()
-                            .iter()
-                            .map(|slice| variable::encoded_len(slice.map(|x| x.as_bytes())))
-                    ),
-                    DataType::LargeUtf8 => tracker.push_variable(
-                        array.as_string::<i64>()
-                            .iter()
-                            .map(|slice| variable::encoded_len(slice.map(|x| x.as_bytes())))
-                    ),
+                    DataType::Utf8 => push_generic_byte_array_lengths(&mut tracker, array.as_string::<i32>()),
+                    DataType::LargeUtf8 => push_generic_byte_array_lengths(&mut tracker, array.as_string::<i64>()),
                     DataType::Utf8View => push_byte_view_array_lengths(&mut tracker, array.as_string_view()),
                     DataType::FixedSizeBinary(len) => {
                         let len = len.to_usize().unwrap();
@@ -1656,6 +1640,30 @@ fn row_lengths(cols: &[ArrayRef], encoders: &[Encoder]) -> LengthTracker {
     tracker
 }
 
+/// Add to [`LengthTracker`] the encoded length of each item in the [`GenericByteArray`]
+fn push_generic_byte_array_lengths<T: ByteArrayType>(
+    tracker: &mut LengthTracker,
+    array: &GenericByteArray<T>,
+) {
+    if let Some(nulls) = array.nulls().filter(|n| n.null_count() > 0) {
+        tracker.push_variable(
+            array
+                .offsets()
+                .lengths()
+                .zip(nulls.iter())
+                .map(|(length, is_valid)| if is_valid { Some(length) } else { None })
+                .map(variable::padded_length),
+        )
+    } else {
+        tracker.push_variable(
+            array
+                .offsets()
+                .lengths()
+                .map(variable::non_null_padded_length),
+        )
+    }
+}
+
 /// Add to [`LengthTracker`] the encoded length of each item in the [`GenericByteViewArray`]
 fn push_byte_view_array_lengths<T: ByteViewType>(
     tracker: &mut LengthTracker,
diff --git a/arrow-row/src/variable.rs b/arrow-row/src/variable.rs
index 73e19b197f92..1c1df00528a3 100644
--- a/arrow-row/src/variable.rs
+++ b/arrow-row/src/variable.rs
@@ -55,11 +55,20 @@ pub fn encoded_len(a: Option<&[u8]>) -> usize {
 #[inline]
 pub fn padded_length(a: Option<usize>) -> usize {
     match a {
-        Some(a) if a <= BLOCK_SIZE => 1 + ceil(a, MINI_BLOCK_SIZE) * (MINI_BLOCK_SIZE + 1),
+        Some(a) => non_null_padded_length(a),
+        None => 1,
+    }
+}
+
+/// Returns the padded length of the encoded length of the given length
+#[inline]
+pub(crate) fn non_null_padded_length(len: usize) -> usize {
+    if len <= BLOCK_SIZE {
+        1 + ceil(len, MINI_BLOCK_SIZE) * (MINI_BLOCK_SIZE + 1)
+    } else {
         // Each miniblock ends with a 1 byte continuation, therefore add
         // `(MINI_BLOCK_COUNT - 1)` additional bytes over non-miniblock size
-        Some(a) => MINI_BLOCK_COUNT + ceil(a, BLOCK_SIZE) * (BLOCK_SIZE + 1),
-        None => 1,
+        MINI_BLOCK_COUNT + ceil(len, BLOCK_SIZE) * (BLOCK_SIZE + 1)
     }
 }