diff --git a/dev/tasks/tasks.yml b/dev/tasks/tasks.yml
index 4b7895576d61..797786a47ca2 100644
--- a/dev/tasks/tasks.yml
+++ b/dev/tasks/tasks.yml
@@ -1146,14 +1146,14 @@ tasks:
     ci: github
     template: r/github.devdocs.yml
 
-  test-r-depsource-auto:
+  test-r-depsource-bundled:
       ci: azure
       template: r/azure.linux.yml
       params:
         r_org: rocker
         r_image: r-base
         r_tag: latest
-        flags: '-e ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE=AUTO'
+        flags: '-e ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE=BUNDLED'
 
   test-r-depsource-system:
     ci: github
diff --git a/r/NEWS.md b/r/NEWS.md
index 5df8c2d57934..8576d38edfcf 100644
--- a/r/NEWS.md
+++ b/r/NEWS.md
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
   * `col_names` identical to `include_header`
   * other arguments are currently unsupported, but the function errors with a meaningful message.
 * Added `decimal128()` (identical to `decimal()`) as the name is more explicit and updated docs to encourage its use. 
+* Source builds now by default use `pkg-config` to search for system dependencies (such as `libz`) and link to them 
+if present. To retain the previous behaviour of downloading and building all dependencies, set `ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE=BUNDLED`. 
 
 # arrow 6.0.1
 
diff --git a/r/configure b/r/configure
index 13177c5875f3..dff38f877341 100755
--- a/r/configure
+++ b/r/configure
@@ -153,15 +153,13 @@ else
       fi
 
       if [ "${ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE}" = "" ]; then
-        # TODO: BUNDLED is still default for now, but we plan to change it to AUTO
-        ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE=BUNDLED; export ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE
+        ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE=AUTO; export ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE
       fi
       if [ "${ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE}" = "AUTO" ]; then
         pkg-config --version >/dev/null 2>&1
         if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
           export ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE=BUNDLED
-          echo "**** Warning: ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE set to 'AUTO' but pkg-config not installed"
-          echo "**** ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE has been set to 'BUNDLED'"
+          echo "**** pkg-config not installed, setting ARROW_DEPENDENCY_SOURCE=BUNDLED"
         fi
       fi