diff --git a/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake b/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake
index ef2154bb59426..56846c64e0e2a 100644
--- a/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake
+++ b/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake
@@ -614,6 +614,8 @@ if(ARROW_NEED_GFLAGS)
     else()
       set(GFLAGS_LIBRARY gflags_static)
     endif()
+  elseif(GFLAGS_HOME)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "No static or shared library provided for gflags: ${GFLAGS_HOME}")
   else()
     set(GFLAGS_VENDORED TRUE)
     set(GFLAGS_CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS ${EP_CXX_FLAGS})