diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/logging.h b/cpp/src/arrow/util/logging.h
index fccc5e3085d..54f67593bec 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/logging.h
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/logging.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace arrow {
 
 #define ARROW_CHECK(condition)                               \
   (condition) ? 0 : ::arrow::internal::FatalLog(ARROW_FATAL) \
-                        << __FILE__ << __LINE__ << "Check failed: " #condition " "
+                        << __FILE__ << __LINE__ << " Check failed: " #condition " "
 
 #ifdef NDEBUG
 #define ARROW_DFATAL ARROW_WARNING
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc
index 8e7dfd60baa..919f3740982 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool-test.cc
@@ -46,4 +46,18 @@ TEST(DefaultMemoryPool, OOM) {
   ASSERT_RAISES(OutOfMemory, pool->Allocate(to_alloc, &data));
 }
 
+TEST(DefaultMemoryPoolDeathTest, FreeLargeMemory) {
+  MemoryPool* pool = default_memory_pool();
+
+  uint8_t* data;
+  ASSERT_OK(pool->Allocate(100, &data));
+
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+  EXPECT_EXIT(pool->Free(data, 120), ::testing::ExitedWithCode(1),
+               ".*Check failed: \\(bytes_allocated_\\) >= \\(size\\)");
+#endif
+
+  pool->Free(data, 100);
+}
+
 }  // namespace arrow
diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc
index 0a58e5aa21f..fed149bc359 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/util/memory-pool.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <sstream>
 
 #include "arrow/util/status.h"
+#include "arrow/util/logging.h"
 
 namespace arrow {
 
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ int64_t InternalMemoryPool::bytes_allocated() const {
 
 void InternalMemoryPool::Free(uint8_t* buffer, int64_t size) {
   std::lock_guard<std::mutex> guard(pool_lock_);
+  DCHECK_GE(bytes_allocated_, size);
   std::free(buffer);
   bytes_allocated_ -= size;
 }