diff --git a/cpp/src/arrow/python/common.cc b/cpp/src/arrow/python/common.cc
index f3b2888c30ebf..8125da2291021 100644
--- a/cpp/src/arrow/python/common.cc
+++ b/cpp/src/arrow/python/common.cc
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Status PyBuffer::Init(PyObject* obj) {
     return Status::OK();
   } else {
     auto detail = std::make_shared<PythonErrorDetail>();
-    return Status(StatusCode::Invalid, "Couldn't convert to buffer.", detail);
+    return Status(StatusCode::Invalid, "", detail);
   }
 }
 
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ Status PassPyError() {
     // Do not call PyErr_Clear, the assumption is that someone further
     // up the call stack will want to deal with the Python error.
     auto detail = std::make_shared<PythonErrorDetail>();
-    return Status(StatusCode::UnknownError, "Python Error", detail);
+    return Status(StatusCode::UnknownError, "", detail);
   }
   return Status::OK();
 }