diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b1ede18f04..1d8c19b94e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ MANIFEST
 compile_commands.json
 build.ninja
 .clangd
+.cache
 
 # Generated Visual Studio files
 *.vcxproj
diff --git a/c/driver/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt b/c/driver/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
index 941329c2f0..3cfdd32bbf 100644
--- a/c/driver/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/c/driver/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@ else()
   set(SQLite3_INCLUDE_DIRS)
 endif()
 
+# Check for sqlite3_load_extension() in sqlite3.h
+if(EXISTS "${SQLite3_INCLUDE_DIRS}/sqlite3.h")
+  file(READ "${SQLite3_INCLUDE_DIRS}/sqlite3.h" ADBC_SQLITE_H_CONTENT)
+  string(FIND "${ADBC_SQLITE_H_CONTENT}" "sqlite3_load_extension"
+              ADBC_SQLITE_WITH_LOAD_EXTENSION)
+endif()
+
+if(NOT ADBC_SQLITE_WITH_LOAD_EXTENSION)
+  set(ADBC_SQLITE_COMPILE_DEFINES "-DADBC_SQLITE_WITH_NO_LOAD_EXTENSION")
+endif()
+
 add_arrow_lib(adbc_driver_sqlite
               SOURCES
               sqlite.cc
@@ -50,7 +61,8 @@ add_arrow_lib(adbc_driver_sqlite
               ${LIBPQ_STATIC_LIBRARIES})
 
 foreach(LIB_TARGET ${ADBC_LIBRARIES})
-  target_compile_definitions(${LIB_TARGET} PRIVATE ADBC_EXPORTING)
+  target_compile_definitions(${LIB_TARGET} PRIVATE ADBC_EXPORTING
+                                                   ${ADBC_SQLITE_COMPILE_DEFINES})
   target_include_directories(${LIB_TARGET} SYSTEM
                              PRIVATE ${REPOSITORY_ROOT}
                                      ${REPOSITORY_ROOT}/c/
@@ -82,6 +94,8 @@ if(ADBC_BUILD_TESTS)
                 adbc_validation
                 nanoarrow
                 ${TEST_LINK_LIBS})
+  target_compile_definitions(adbc-driver-sqlite-test
+                             PRIVATE ${ADBC_SQLITE_COMPILE_DEFINES})
   target_compile_features(adbc-driver-sqlite-test PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
   target_include_directories(adbc-driver-sqlite-test SYSTEM
                              PRIVATE ${REPOSITORY_ROOT}
diff --git a/c/driver/sqlite/sqlite_test.cc b/c/driver/sqlite/sqlite_test.cc
index 72fe0d1501..bfb432b153 100644
--- a/c/driver/sqlite/sqlite_test.cc
+++ b/c/driver/sqlite/sqlite_test.cc
@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@ class SqliteConnectionTest : public ::testing::Test,
 ADBCV_TEST_CONNECTION(SqliteConnectionTest)
 
 TEST_F(SqliteConnectionTest, ExtensionLoading) {
+#if defined(ADBC_SQLITE_WITH_NO_LOAD_EXTENSION)
+  GTEST_SKIP() << "Linking to SQLite without extension loading";
+#endif
+
   ASSERT_THAT(AdbcConnectionNew(&connection, &error),
               adbc_validation::IsOkStatus(&error));