diff --git a/r/inst/build_arrow_static.sh b/r/inst/build_arrow_static.sh
index 4c7f7057088d5..fe56b9fca9e59 100755
--- a/r/inst/build_arrow_static.sh
+++ b/r/inst/build_arrow_static.sh
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ ${CMAKE} -DARROW_BOOST_USE_SHARED=OFF \
     -DARROW_BUILD_TESTS=OFF \
     -DARROW_BUILD_SHARED=OFF \
     -DARROW_BUILD_STATIC=ON \
-    -DARROW_ACERO=${ARROW_ACERO:-$ARROW_DEFAULT_PARAM} \
+    -DARROW_ACERO=${ARROW_ACERO:-ON} \
     -DARROW_COMPUTE=ON \
     -DARROW_CSV=ON \
     -DARROW_DATASET=${ARROW_DATASET:-ON} \