diff --git a/ibis/backends/datafusion/__init__.py b/ibis/backends/datafusion/__init__.py
index e53e8112c1da..fc8108602490 100644
--- a/ibis/backends/datafusion/__init__.py
+++ b/ibis/backends/datafusion/__init__.py
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@
 except ImportError:
     SessionConfig = None
 
+try:
+    from datafusion import RuntimeConfig
+except ImportError:
+    RuntimeConfig = None
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     import pandas as pd
     import polars as pl
@@ -105,7 +110,12 @@ def do_connect(
                 ).with_information_schema(True)
             else:
                 df_config = None
-            self.con = SessionContext(df_config)
+            if RuntimeConfig is None:
+                self.con = SessionContext(df_config)
+            else:
+                # datafusion 40.1.0 has a bug where SessionContext requires
+                # both SessionConfig and RuntimeConfig be provided.
+                self.con = SessionContext(df_config, RuntimeConfig())
 
         self._register_builtin_udfs()