diff --git a/ci/docker/conda-python.dockerfile b/ci/docker/conda-python.dockerfile
index 917b60dab9f07..ba50d2673015d 100644
--- a/ci/docker/conda-python.dockerfile
+++ b/ci/docker/conda-python.dockerfile
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ ENV ARROW_ACERO=ON \
     ARROW_CSV=ON \
     ARROW_DATASET=ON \
     ARROW_FILESYSTEM=ON \
+    ARROW_GDB=ON \
     ARROW_HDFS=ON \
     ARROW_JSON=ON \
     ARROW_TENSORFLOW=ON \
diff --git a/ci/scripts/cpp_build.sh b/ci/scripts/cpp_build.sh
index d366ffed4397f..3a3ad96d1fb8c 100755
--- a/ci/scripts/cpp_build.sh
+++ b/ci/scripts/cpp_build.sh
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@ fi
 if [ "${GITHUB_ACTIONS:-false}" = "true" ]; then
   case "$(uname)" in
     Linux|Darwin|MINGW*)
-      : ${ARROW_C_FLAGS_DEBUG:=-g1}
-      : ${ARROW_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG:=-g1}
+      if [ "${ARROW_GDB:-OFF}" != "ON" ]; then
+        : ${ARROW_C_FLAGS_DEBUG:=-g1}
+        : ${ARROW_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG:=-g1}
+      fi
       ;;
     *)
   esac