diff --git a/r/R/dataset-write.R b/r/R/dataset-write.R
index dd675b40d09..900140de928 100644
--- a/r/R/dataset-write.R
+++ b/r/R/dataset-write.R
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@ write_dataset <- function(
   if (format %in% c("feather", "ipc")) {
     format <- "arrow"
   }
+  if (format == "text") {
+    format <- "csv"
+  }
   if (inherits(dataset, "arrow_dplyr_query")) {
     # partitioning vars need to be in the `select` schema
     dataset <- ensure_group_vars(dataset)
@@ -189,7 +192,7 @@ write_dataset <- function(
   path_and_fs <- get_path_and_filesystem(path)
 
   dots <- list(...)
-  if (format %in% c("txt", "text") && !any(c("delimiter", "delim") %in% names(dots))) {
+  if (format == "txt" && !any(c("delimiter", "delim") %in% names(dots))) {
     stop("A delimiter must be given for a txt format.")
   }
   if (format == "tsv" && any(c("delimiter", "delim") %in% names(dots))) {
diff --git a/r/tests/testthat/test-dataset-write.R b/r/tests/testthat/test-dataset-write.R
index 8fed358dc37..23d870830f3 100644
--- a/r/tests/testthat/test-dataset-write.R
+++ b/r/tests/testthat/test-dataset-write.R
@@ -913,11 +913,6 @@ test_that("Writing a flat file dataset without a delimiter throws an error.", {
     write_dataset(df, dst_dir, format = "txt"),
     "A delimiter must be given for a txt format."
   )
-
-  expect_error(
-    write_dataset(df, dst_dir, format = "text"),
-    "A delimiter must be given for a txt format."
-  )
 })
 
 test_that("Dataset can write flat files using readr::write_csv() options.", {
@@ -1048,3 +1043,23 @@ test_that("Row order is preserved when writing large parquet dataset", {
   # But ordered is exactly equal.
   expect_equal(ordered_ds$x, df$x)
 })
+
+test_that("write_dataset maps format 'text' to 'csv' (GH-38217)", {
+  df <- tibble(
+    int = 1:10,
+    dbl = as.numeric(1:10),
+    chr = letters[1:10],
+  )
+
+  dst_dir <- make_temp_dir()
+  write_dataset(df, dst_dir, format = "text")
+  expect_true(dir.exists(dst_dir))
+
+  # Files should have .csv extension, not .text
+  written_files <- list.files(dst_dir)
+  expect_match(written_files, "\\.csv$")
+
+  # Data should round-trip correctly
+  result <- open_dataset(dst_dir, format = "csv") |> collect()
+  expect_equal(result, df)
+})