diff --git a/apis/r/R/utils-arrow.R b/apis/r/R/utils-arrow.R
index 891c532b43..9ea924a0d9 100644
--- a/apis/r/R/utils-arrow.R
+++ b/apis/r/R/utils-arrow.R
@@ -488,7 +488,26 @@ get_domain_and_extent_dataframe <- function(tbl_schema, ind_col_names, domain =
 
         requested_slot <- domain[[ind_col_name]]
         ind_cur_dom <- if (is.null(requested_slot)) {
-          ind_max_dom
+          if (.new_shape_feature_flag_is_enabled()) {
+            # New shape: if the slot is null, make the size as small
+            # as possible since current domain can only be resized upward.
+            #
+            # Core current-domain semantics are (lo, hi) with both
+            # inclusive, with lo <= hi. This means smallest is (0, 0)
+            # which is shape 1, not 0.
+            if (bit64::is.integer64(ind_max_dom)) {
+              c(bit64::as.integer64(0), bit64::as.integer64(0))
+            } else if (is.integer(ind_max_dom)) {
+              c(0L, 0L)
+            } else {
+              c(0, 0)
+            }
+          } else {
+            # Old shape: if the slot is null, make the size as large
+            # as possible since there is not current domain, and the
+            # max domain is immutable.
+            ind_max_dom
+          }
         } else {
           requested_slot
         }
diff --git a/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-data.R b/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-data.R
index a3e8c6d692..efdd572de9 100644
--- a/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-data.R
+++ b/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-data.R
@@ -78,3 +78,15 @@ create_arrow_table <- function(nrows = 10L, factors = FALSE) {
       # schema = create_arrow_schema(false)
     )
 }
+
+domain_for_arrow_table <- function() {
+  return(
+    list(
+      int_column = c(0, 1000000),
+      soma_joinid = c(0, 1000000),
+      float_column = c(-1e6, 1e6),
+      string_column = NULL,
+      grp = NULL
+    )
+  )
+}
diff --git a/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-soma-objects.R b/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-soma-objects.R
index a2927e5abd..8bc4927e4f 100644
--- a/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-soma-objects.R
+++ b/apis/r/tests/testthat/helper-test-soma-objects.R
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # Returns the object created, populated, and closed (unless otherwise requested)
+
 create_and_populate_soma_dataframe <- function(
   uri,
   nrows = 10L,
@@ -9,10 +10,21 @@ create_and_populate_soma_dataframe <- function(
 ) {
   set.seed(seed)
 
-  # arrow_schema <- create_arrow_schema()
   tbl <- create_arrow_table(nrows = nrows, factors = factors)
 
-  sdf <- SOMADataFrameCreate(uri, tbl$schema, index_column_names = index_column_names)
+  full_domain <- domain_for_arrow_table()
+  domain <- list()
+  for (index_column in index_column_names) {
+    domain[[index_column]] <- full_domain[[index_column]]
+  }
+
+  sdf <- SOMADataFrameCreate(
+    uri,
+    tbl$schema,
+    index_column_names = index_column_names,
+    domain = domain
+  )
+
   sdf$write(tbl)
 
   if (is.null(mode)) {