diff --git a/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge.go b/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge.go
index e9d9d1117..8df2a9cb3 100644
--- a/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge.go
+++ b/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"container/heap"
 	"fmt"
+	"math"
 
 	"github.com/apache/arrow/go/v14/arrow"
 	"github.com/apache/arrow/go/v14/arrow/array"
@@ -14,11 +15,15 @@ import (
 
 // MergeRecords merges the given records. The records must all have the same
 // schema. orderByCols is a slice of indexes into the columns that the records
-// and resulting records are ordered by. Note that the given records should
-// already be ordered by the given columns.
+// and resulting records are ordered by. While ordering the limit is checked before appending more rows.
+// If limit is less than 1, no limit is applied.
+// Note that the given records should already be ordered by the given columns.
 // WARNING: Only ascending ordering is currently supported.
 func MergeRecords(
-	mem memory.Allocator, records []arrow.Record, orderByCols []int,
+	mem memory.Allocator,
+	records []arrow.Record,
+	orderByCols []int,
+	limit uint64,
 ) (arrow.Record, error) {
 	h := cursorHeap{
 		cursors:     make([]cursor, len(records)),
@@ -32,8 +37,13 @@ func MergeRecords(
 	recordBuilder := builder.NewRecordBuilder(mem, schema)
 	defer recordBuilder.Release()
 
+	if limit == 0 {
+		limit = math.MaxInt64
+	}
+	count := uint64(0)
+
 	heap.Init(&h)
-	for h.Len() > 0 {
+	for h.Len() > 0 && count < limit {
 		// Minimum cursor is always at index 0.
 		r := h.cursors[0].r
 		i := h.cursors[0].curIdx
@@ -45,10 +55,12 @@ func MergeRecords(
 		if int64(i+1) >= r.NumRows() {
 			// Pop the cursor since it has no more data.
 			_ = heap.Pop(&h)
+			count++
 			continue
 		}
 		h.cursors[0].curIdx++
 		heap.Fix(&h, 0)
+		count++
 	}
 
 	return recordBuilder.NewRecord(), nil
diff --git a/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge_test.go b/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge_test.go
index 082f85a95..3fd041e9c 100644
--- a/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge_test.go
+++ b/pqarrow/arrowutils/merge_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func TestMerge(t *testing.T) {
 	record3 := array.NewRecord(schema, []arrow.Array{a}, int64(a.Len()))
 
 	res, err := arrowutils.MergeRecords(
-		memory.DefaultAllocator, []arrow.Record{record1, record2, record3}, []int{0},
+		memory.DefaultAllocator, []arrow.Record{record1, record2, record3}, []int{0}, 0,
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, int64(1), res.NumCols())
@@ -47,4 +47,11 @@ func TestMerge(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 1; i < col.Len(); i++ {
 		require.Equal(t, expected[i-1], col.Value(i))
 	}
+
+	// check that we can merge with a limit
+	res, err = arrowutils.MergeRecords(
+		memory.DefaultAllocator, []arrow.Record{record1, record2, record3}, []int{0}, 3,
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, int64(3), res.NumRows())
 }
diff --git a/query/physicalplan/ordered_aggregate.go b/query/physicalplan/ordered_aggregate.go
index ad973ec90..5f6f0ebfe 100644
--- a/query/physicalplan/ordered_aggregate.go
+++ b/query/physicalplan/ordered_aggregate.go
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ func (a *OrderedAggregate) Finish(ctx context.Context) error {
 		for i := range orderByCols {
 			orderByCols[i] = i
 		}
-		mergedRecord, err := arrowutils.MergeRecords(a.pool, records, orderByCols)
+		mergedRecord, err := arrowutils.MergeRecords(a.pool, records, orderByCols, 0)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/query/physicalplan/ordered_synchronizer.go b/query/physicalplan/ordered_synchronizer.go
index ccf7abed4..444b6301c 100644
--- a/query/physicalplan/ordered_synchronizer.go
+++ b/query/physicalplan/ordered_synchronizer.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func (o *OrderedSynchronizer) mergeRecordsLocked() (arrow.Record, error) {
 	if err := o.ensureSameSchema(o.sync.data); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	mergedRecord, err := arrowutils.MergeRecords(o.pool, o.sync.data, o.orderByCols)
+	mergedRecord, err := arrowutils.MergeRecords(o.pool, o.sync.data, o.orderByCols, 0)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}