diff --git a/datafusion/common/src/scalar/mod.rs b/datafusion/common/src/scalar/mod.rs
index d726b5c94016f..5d55ff99d73a6 100644
--- a/datafusion/common/src/scalar/mod.rs
+++ b/datafusion/common/src/scalar/mod.rs
@@ -4718,6 +4718,14 @@ impl ScalarValue {
     /// This can be relevant when `self` is a list or contains a list as a nested value, as
     /// a single list holds an Arc to its entire original array buffer.
     pub fn compact(&mut self) {
+        // copy_array_data + compact_view_buffers + downcast back, all in one step.
+        macro_rules! compact_array {
+            ($arr:expr, $from_type:ty, $($as_method:tt)+) => {
+                *Arc::make_mut($arr) = ScalarValue::compact_view_buffers(
+                    Arc::new(<$from_type>::from(copy_array_data(&$arr.to_data()))) as ArrayRef,
+                ).$($as_method)+.clone()
+            };
+        }
         match self {
             ScalarValue::Null
             | ScalarValue::Boolean(_)
@@ -4761,33 +4769,20 @@ impl ScalarValue {
             | ScalarValue::LargeBinary(_)
             | ScalarValue::BinaryView(_) => (),
             ScalarValue::FixedSizeList(arr) => {
-                let array = copy_array_data(&arr.to_data());
-                *Arc::make_mut(arr) = FixedSizeListArray::from(array);
-            }
-            ScalarValue::List(arr) => {
-                let array = copy_array_data(&arr.to_data());
-                *Arc::make_mut(arr) = ListArray::from(array);
+                compact_array!(arr, FixedSizeListArray, as_fixed_size_list())
             }
+            ScalarValue::List(arr) => compact_array!(arr, ListArray, as_list::<i32>()),
             ScalarValue::LargeList(arr) => {
-                let array = copy_array_data(&arr.to_data());
-                *Arc::make_mut(arr) = LargeListArray::from(array)
+                compact_array!(arr, LargeListArray, as_list::<i64>())
             }
             ScalarValue::ListView(arr) => {
-                let array = copy_array_data(&arr.to_data());
-                *Arc::make_mut(arr) = ListViewArray::from(array);
+                compact_array!(arr, ListViewArray, as_list_view::<i32>())
             }
             ScalarValue::LargeListView(arr) => {
-                let array = copy_array_data(&arr.to_data());
-                *Arc::make_mut(arr) = LargeListViewArray::from(array)
-            }
-            ScalarValue::Struct(arr) => {
-                let array = copy_array_data(&arr.to_data());
-                *Arc::make_mut(arr) = StructArray::from(array);
-            }
-            ScalarValue::Map(arr) => {
-                let array = copy_array_data(&arr.to_data());
-                *Arc::make_mut(arr) = MapArray::from(array);
+                compact_array!(arr, LargeListViewArray, as_list_view::<i64>())
             }
+            ScalarValue::Struct(arr) => compact_array!(arr, StructArray, as_struct()),
+            ScalarValue::Map(arr) => compact_array!(arr, MapArray, as_map()),
             ScalarValue::Union(val, _, _) => {
                 if let Some((_, value)) = val.as_mut() {
                     value.compact();
@@ -4808,6 +4803,95 @@ impl ScalarValue {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Recursively compacts the backing buffers of any [`StringViewArray`] or
+    /// [`BinaryViewArray`] nested within `array`.
+    ///
+    /// View-typed arrays keep an `Arc` reference to their original backing
+    /// buffers, so a single scalar extracted from a large batch still retains
+    /// the entire buffer.  Calling [`.gc()`][StringViewArray::gc] copies only
+    /// the bytes that are actually referenced by the surviving views, releasing
+    /// the rest.
+    ///
+    /// Container types (`List`, `LargeList`, `FixedSizeList`, `ListView`,
+    /// `LargeListView`, `Struct`, `Map`) are handled by recursing into their
+    /// child / values arrays and reconstructing the parent with the compacted
+    /// children.  All other types are returned unchanged.
+    fn compact_view_buffers(array: ArrayRef) -> ArrayRef {
+        // Macro for the i32/i64-offset list pair (List / LargeList).
+        macro_rules! gc_list {
+            ($field:expr, $offset_type:ty, $array_type:ty) => {{
+                let list = array.as_list::<$offset_type>();
+                Arc::new(<$array_type>::new(
+                    Arc::clone($field),
+                    list.offsets().clone(),
+                    ScalarValue::compact_view_buffers(Arc::clone(list.values())),
+                    list.nulls().cloned(),
+                )) as ArrayRef
+            }};
+        }
+        // Macro for the i32/i64-offset list-view pair (ListView / LargeListView).
+        macro_rules! gc_list_view {
+            ($field:expr, $offset_type:ty, $array_type:ty) => {{
+                let list = array.as_list_view::<$offset_type>();
+                Arc::new(<$array_type>::new(
+                    Arc::clone($field),
+                    list.offsets().clone(),
+                    list.sizes().clone(),
+                    ScalarValue::compact_view_buffers(Arc::clone(list.values())),
+                    list.nulls().cloned(),
+                )) as ArrayRef
+            }};
+        }
+
+        match array.data_type() {
+            DataType::Utf8View => Arc::new(array.as_string_view().gc()),
+            DataType::BinaryView => Arc::new(array.as_binary_view().gc()),
+            DataType::Struct(_) => {
+                let s = array.as_struct();
+                let columns = s
+                    .columns()
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|c| ScalarValue::compact_view_buffers(Arc::clone(c)))
+                    .collect();
+                Arc::new(StructArray::new(
+                    s.fields().clone(),
+                    columns,
+                    s.nulls().cloned(),
+                ))
+            }
+            DataType::List(field) => gc_list!(field, i32, ListArray),
+            DataType::LargeList(field) => gc_list!(field, i64, LargeListArray),
+            DataType::FixedSizeList(field, size) => {
+                let list = array.as_fixed_size_list();
+                Arc::new(FixedSizeListArray::new(
+                    Arc::clone(field),
+                    *size,
+                    ScalarValue::compact_view_buffers(Arc::clone(list.values())),
+                    list.nulls().cloned(),
+                ))
+            }
+            DataType::ListView(field) => gc_list_view!(field, i32, ListViewArray),
+            DataType::LargeListView(field) => {
+                gc_list_view!(field, i64, LargeListViewArray)
+            }
+            DataType::Map(field, ordered) => {
+                let map = array.as_map();
+                let entries = ScalarValue::compact_view_buffers(Arc::new(
+                    map.entries().clone(),
+                )
+                    as ArrayRef);
+                Arc::new(MapArray::new(
+                    Arc::clone(field),
+                    map.offsets().clone(),
+                    entries.as_struct().clone(),
+                    map.nulls().cloned(),
+                    *ordered,
+                ))
+            }
+            _ => array,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Returns the minimum value for the given numeric `DataType`.
     ///
     /// This function returns the smallest representable value for numeric
@@ -10707,4 +10791,200 @@ mod tests {
             ]
         );
     }
+
+    // ── compact / compact_view_buffers ───────────────────────────────────────
+
+    /// Builds a `StringViewArray` with `n` strings that are all longer than
+    /// 12 bytes so they are stored in backing buffers rather than inline.
+    fn make_long_strings(n: usize) -> StringViewArray {
+        let mut b = StringViewBuilder::new();
+        for i in 0..n {
+            b.append_value(format!("long_string_value_pad_{i:04}"));
+        }
+        b.finish()
+    }
+
+    /// Total bytes across all backing buffers of a `StringViewArray`.
+    fn utf8view_buffer_bytes(a: &StringViewArray) -> usize {
+        a.data_buffers().iter().map(|b| b.len()).sum()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_list_utf8view() {
+        const N: usize = 50;
+        let strings = make_long_strings(N);
+        let one_len = strings.value(0).len();
+        assert!(utf8view_buffer_bytes(&strings) >= N * one_len);
+
+        let single_row_list_array =
+            SingleRowListArrayBuilder::new(Arc::new(strings.slice(0, 1)) as ArrayRef)
+                .build_list_array();
+        let mut scalar = ScalarValue::List(Arc::new(single_row_list_array));
+        scalar.compact();
+
+        let ScalarValue::List(arr) = &scalar else {
+            panic!("expected List")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(
+            utf8view_buffer_bytes(arr.values().as_string_view()),
+            one_len
+        );
+        assert_eq!(arr.values().as_string_view().value(0), strings.value(0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_large_list_utf8view() {
+        const N: usize = 50;
+        let strings = make_long_strings(N);
+        let one_len = strings.value(0).len();
+        assert!(utf8view_buffer_bytes(&strings) >= N * one_len);
+
+        let single_row_list_array =
+            SingleRowListArrayBuilder::new(Arc::new(strings.slice(0, 1)) as ArrayRef)
+                .build_large_list_array();
+        let mut scalar = ScalarValue::LargeList(Arc::new(single_row_list_array));
+        scalar.compact();
+
+        let ScalarValue::LargeList(arr) = &scalar else {
+            panic!("expected LargeList")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(
+            utf8view_buffer_bytes(arr.values().as_string_view()),
+            one_len
+        );
+        assert_eq!(arr.values().as_string_view().value(0), strings.value(0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_fixed_size_list_utf8view() {
+        const N: usize = 50;
+        let strings = make_long_strings(N);
+        let one_len = strings.value(0).len();
+        assert!(utf8view_buffer_bytes(&strings) >= N * one_len);
+
+        let single_row_list_array =
+            SingleRowListArrayBuilder::new(Arc::new(strings.slice(0, 1)) as ArrayRef)
+                .build_fixed_size_list_array(1);
+        let mut scalar = ScalarValue::FixedSizeList(Arc::new(single_row_list_array));
+        scalar.compact();
+
+        let ScalarValue::FixedSizeList(arr) = &scalar else {
+            panic!("expected FixedSizeList")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(
+            utf8view_buffer_bytes(arr.values().as_string_view()),
+            one_len
+        );
+        assert_eq!(arr.values().as_string_view().value(0), strings.value(0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_list_view_utf8view() {
+        const N: usize = 50;
+        let strings = make_long_strings(N);
+        let one_len = strings.value(0).len();
+        assert!(utf8view_buffer_bytes(&strings) >= N * one_len);
+
+        let single_row_list_array =
+            SingleRowListArrayBuilder::new(Arc::new(strings.slice(0, 1)) as ArrayRef)
+                .build_list_view_array();
+        let mut scalar = ScalarValue::ListView(Arc::new(single_row_list_array));
+        scalar.compact();
+
+        let ScalarValue::ListView(arr) = &scalar else {
+            panic!("expected ListView")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(
+            utf8view_buffer_bytes(arr.values().as_string_view()),
+            one_len
+        );
+        assert_eq!(arr.values().as_string_view().value(0), strings.value(0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_large_list_view_utf8view() {
+        const N: usize = 50;
+        let strings = make_long_strings(N);
+        let one_len = strings.value(0).len();
+        assert!(utf8view_buffer_bytes(&strings) >= N * one_len);
+
+        let single_row_list_array =
+            SingleRowListArrayBuilder::new(Arc::new(strings.slice(0, 1)) as ArrayRef)
+                .build_large_list_view_array();
+        let mut scalar = ScalarValue::LargeListView(Arc::new(single_row_list_array));
+        scalar.compact();
+
+        let ScalarValue::LargeListView(arr) = &scalar else {
+            panic!("expected LargeListView")
+        };
+        assert_eq!(
+            utf8view_buffer_bytes(arr.values().as_string_view()),
+            one_len
+        );
+        assert_eq!(arr.values().as_string_view().value(0), strings.value(0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_struct_utf8view() {
+        const N: usize = 50;
+        let strings = make_long_strings(N);
+        let one_len = strings.value(0).len();
+
+        let field = Arc::new(Field::new("name", DataType::Utf8View, true));
+        let struct_arr = StructArray::new(
+            Fields::from(vec![Arc::clone(&field)]),
+            vec![Arc::new(strings.slice(0, 1)) as ArrayRef],
+            None,
+        );
+
+        let mut scalar = ScalarValue::Struct(Arc::new(struct_arr));
+        scalar.compact();
+
+        let ScalarValue::Struct(arr) = &scalar else {
+            panic!("expected Struct")
+        };
+        let col = arr.column(0).as_string_view();
+        assert_eq!(utf8view_buffer_bytes(col), one_len);
+        assert_eq!(col.value(0), strings.value(0));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_map_utf8view() {
+        const N: usize = 50;
+        let strings = make_long_strings(N);
+        let one_len = strings.value(0).len();
+
+        let key_field = Arc::new(Field::new("key", DataType::Utf8View, false));
+        let val_field = Arc::new(Field::new("value", DataType::Int32, true));
+        let entries = StructArray::new(
+            Fields::from(vec![Arc::clone(&key_field), Arc::clone(&val_field)]),
+            vec![
+                Arc::new(strings.slice(0, 1)) as ArrayRef,
+                Arc::new(Int32Array::from(vec![1i32])) as ArrayRef,
+            ],
+            None,
+        );
+        let entries_field = Arc::new(Field::new(
+            "entries",
+            DataType::Struct(Fields::from(vec![key_field, val_field])),
+            false,
+        ));
+        let map = MapArray::new(
+            entries_field,
+            OffsetBuffer::new(vec![0i32, 1].into()),
+            entries,
+            None,
+            false,
+        );
+
+        let mut scalar = ScalarValue::Map(Arc::new(map));
+        scalar.compact();
+
+        let ScalarValue::Map(arr) = &scalar else {
+            panic!("expected Map")
+        };
+        let keys = arr.entries().column(0).as_string_view();
+        assert_eq!(utf8view_buffer_bytes(keys), one_len);
+        assert_eq!(keys.value(0), strings.value(0));
+    }
 }