diff --git a/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py b/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py
index 711215a3bbc..30a6ed774c6 100644
--- a/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py
+++ b/src/datasets/arrow_writer.py
@@ -426,20 +426,15 @@ def write_examples_on_file(self):
         """Write stored examples from the write-pool of examples. It makes a table out of the examples and write it."""
         if not self.current_examples:
             return
-
-        # order the columns properly
+        # preserve the order the columns
         if self.schema:
             schema_cols = set(self.schema.names)
-            common_cols, extra_cols = [], []
-            for col in self.current_examples[0][0]:
-                if col in schema_cols:
-                    common_cols.append(col)
-                else:
-                    extra_cols.append(col)
+            examples_cols = self.current_examples[0][0].keys()  # .keys() preserves the order (unlike set)
+            common_cols = [col for col in self.schema.names if col in examples_cols]
+            extra_cols = [col for col in examples_cols if col not in schema_cols]
             cols = common_cols + extra_cols
         else:
             cols = list(self.current_examples[0][0])
-
         batch_examples = {}
         for col in cols:
             # We use row[0][col] since current_examples contains (example, key) tuples.
@@ -549,14 +544,12 @@ def write_batch(
         try_features = self._features if self.pa_writer is None and self.update_features else None
         arrays = []
         inferred_features = Features()
+        # preserve the order the columns
         if self.schema:
             schema_cols = set(self.schema.names)
-            common_cols, extra_cols = [], []
-            for col in batch_examples:
-                if col in schema_cols:
-                    common_cols.append(col)
-                else:
-                    extra_cols.append(col)
+            batch_cols = batch_examples.keys()  # .keys() preserves the order (unlike set)
+            common_cols = [col for col in self.schema.names if col in batch_cols]
+            extra_cols = [col for col in batch_cols if col not in schema_cols]
             cols = common_cols + extra_cols
         else:
             cols = list(batch_examples)
diff --git a/tests/test_arrow_writer.py b/tests/test_arrow_writer.py
index b2483509b0c..a98b5a9c42f 100644
--- a/tests/test_arrow_writer.py
+++ b/tests/test_arrow_writer.py
@@ -87,7 +87,13 @@ def _check_output(output, expected_num_chunks: int):
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("writer_batch_size", [None, 1, 10])
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    "fields", [None, {"col_1": pa.string(), "col_2": pa.int64()}, {"col_1": pa.string(), "col_2": pa.int32()}]
+    "fields",
+    [
+        None,
+        {"col_1": pa.string(), "col_2": pa.int64()},
+        {"col_1": pa.string(), "col_2": pa.int32()},
+        {"col_2": pa.int64(), "col_1": pa.string()},
+    ],
 )
 def test_write(fields, writer_batch_size):
     output = pa.BufferOutputStream()