diff --git a/python-package/lightgbm/basic.py b/python-package/lightgbm/basic.py
index fe6fe0f47f45..31ae5182ee9e 100644
--- a/python-package/lightgbm/basic.py
+++ b/python-package/lightgbm/basic.py
@@ -2584,7 +2584,7 @@ def set_field(
             # 'init_score'.
             if _is_pyarrow_table(data):
                 if field_name != "init_score":
-                    raise ValueError("pyarrow table provided for field other than init_score")
+                    raise ValueError(f"pyarrow tables are not supported for field '{field_name}'")
                 data = pa_chunked_array([
                     chunk for array in data.columns for chunk in array.chunks  # type: ignore
                 ])
diff --git a/tests/python_package_test/test_arrow.py b/tests/python_package_test/test_arrow.py
index 525d0f7fa04d..fd20df25dd87 100644
--- a/tests/python_package_test/test_arrow.py
+++ b/tests/python_package_test/test_arrow.py
@@ -251,5 +251,5 @@ def test_dataset_construct_init_scores_table():
     dataset.construct()
 
     actual = dataset.get_init_score()
-    assert actual.dtype == np.float64
-    assert actual.shape == (5, 3)
+    expected = init_scores.to_pandas().to_numpy().astype(np.float64)
+    np_assert_array_equal(expected, actual, strict=True)