diff --git a/.github/workflows/meson-build.yaml b/.github/workflows/meson-build.yaml
index 85fd2260f..70fd15205 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/meson-build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/meson-build.yaml
@@ -53,4 +53,4 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run meson testing script
         run: |
-          PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(pwd)/arrow/lib/pkgconfig" ci/scripts/build-with-meson.sh
+          PKG_CONFIG_PATH="$(pwd)/arrow/lib" ci/scripts/build-with-meson.sh
diff --git a/ci/scripts/build-with-meson.sh b/ci/scripts/build-with-meson.sh
index 146a51fb2..d295aa35d 100755
--- a/ci/scripts/build-with-meson.sh
+++ b/ci/scripts/build-with-meson.sh
@@ -72,10 +72,10 @@ function main() {
     meson wrap install nlohmann_json
 
     show_header "Compile project with meson"
-    meson setup "${SANDBOX_DIR}"
+    echo "Looking for Arrow in ${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"
+    PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$PKG_CONFIG_PATH meson setup "${SANDBOX_DIR}"
 
     pushd "${SANDBOX_DIR}"
-    echo "Looking for Arrow in ${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"
     meson configure -DNANOARROW_BUILD_TESTS=true \
           -DNANOARROW_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=true \
           -Db_coverage=true