diff --git a/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py b/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py
index 95b1e34e4da..becb28c66ea 100644
--- a/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py
+++ b/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ def write_rows_on_file(self):
         """Write stored rows from the write-pool of rows. It concatenates the single-row tables and it writes the resulting table."""
         if not self.current_rows:
             return
-        table = pa.concat_tables(self.current_rows).combine_chunks()
+        table = pa.concat_tables(self.current_rows)
         self.write_table(table)
         self.current_rows = []
 
@@ -564,6 +564,7 @@ def write_table(self, pa_table: pa.Table, writer_batch_size: Optional[int] = Non
             writer_batch_size = self.writer_batch_size
         if self.pa_writer is None:
             self._build_writer(inferred_schema=pa_table.schema)
+        pa_table = pa_table.combine_chunks()
         pa_table = table_cast(pa_table, self._schema)
         if self.embed_local_files:
             pa_table = embed_table_storage(pa_table)