diff --git a/dev/tasks/crossbow.py b/dev/tasks/crossbow.py
index e7821ac7b2ac..cd91090012db 100755
--- a/dev/tasks/crossbow.py
+++ b/dev/tasks/crossbow.py
@@ -1094,14 +1094,15 @@ def select(self, tasks=None, groups=None):
 
     def validate(self):
         # validate that the task groups are properly referening the tasks
-        for group in self['groups']:
-            tasks = self.select(groups=[group])
-            if not tasks:
-                raise ValueError(
-                    "The patterns defined for task group `{}` are not "
-                    "matching any of the tasks defined in the configuration "
-                    "file.".format(group)
-                )
+        for group_name, group in self['groups'].items():
+            for pattern in group:
+                tasks = self.select(tasks=[pattern])
+                if not tasks:
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        "The pattern `{}` defined for task group `{}` is not "
+                        "matching any of the tasks defined in the "
+                        "configuration file.".format(pattern, group_name)
+                    )
 
         # validate that the tasks are constructible
         for task_name, task in self['tasks'].items():
diff --git a/dev/tasks/tasks.yml b/dev/tasks/tasks.yml
index 1a5b0f061de6..b9db51b87a96 100644
--- a/dev/tasks/tasks.yml
+++ b/dev/tasks/tasks.yml
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ groups:
     - test-*python*
 
   r:
-    - test-*r*
+    - test*-r-*
+    - homebrew-r-autobrew
 
   ruby:
     - test-*ruby*