diff --git a/py-polars/src/dataframe/export.rs b/py-polars/src/dataframe/export.rs
index 592a52061c6a..f595ac92f02c 100644
--- a/py-polars/src/dataframe/export.rs
+++ b/py-polars/src/dataframe/export.rs
@@ -135,10 +135,11 @@ impl PyDataFrame {
     #[allow(unused_variables)]
     #[pyo3(signature = (requested_schema=None))]
     fn __arrow_c_stream__<'py>(
-        &'py self,
+        &'py mut self,
         py: Python<'py>,
         requested_schema: Option<PyObject>,
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyCapsule>> {
-        dataframe_to_stream(&self.df, py)
+        self.df.align_chunks();
+        dataframe_to_stream(self.df.clone(), py)
     }
 }
diff --git a/py-polars/src/interop/arrow/to_py.rs b/py-polars/src/interop/arrow/to_py.rs
index cfa7f6c2398f..5048e399e988 100644
--- a/py-polars/src/interop/arrow/to_py.rs
+++ b/py-polars/src/interop/arrow/to_py.rs
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ use std::ffi::CString;
 
 use arrow::ffi;
 use arrow::record_batch::RecordBatch;
-use polars::datatypes::{CompatLevel, DataType, Field};
+use polars::datatypes::CompatLevel;
 use polars::frame::DataFrame;
 use polars::prelude::{ArrayRef, ArrowField};
 use polars::series::Series;
 use polars_core::utils::arrow;
+use polars_error::PolarsResult;
 use pyo3::ffi::Py_uintptr_t;
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 use pyo3::types::PyCapsule;
@@ -69,25 +70,60 @@ pub(crate) fn series_to_stream<'py>(
     PyCapsule::new_bound(py, stream, Some(stream_capsule_name))
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn dataframe_to_stream<'py>(
-    df: &'py DataFrame,
-    py: Python<'py>,
-) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyCapsule>> {
-    let schema_fields = df.schema().iter_fields().collect::<Vec<_>>();
-
-    let struct_field =
-        Field::new("", DataType::Struct(schema_fields)).to_arrow(CompatLevel::oldest());
-    let struct_data_type = struct_field.data_type().clone();
-
-    let iter = df
-        .iter_chunks(CompatLevel::oldest(), false)
-        .into_iter()
-        .map(|chunk| {
-            let arrays = chunk.into_arrays();
-            let x = arrow::array::StructArray::new(struct_data_type.clone(), arrays, None);
-            Ok(Box::new(x) as Box<dyn arrow::array::Array>)
-        });
-    let stream = ffi::export_iterator(Box::new(iter), struct_field);
+pub(crate) fn dataframe_to_stream(df: DataFrame, py: Python) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyCapsule>> {
+    let iter = Box::new(DataFrameStreamIterator::new(df));
+    let field = iter.field();
+    let stream = ffi::export_iterator(iter, field);
     let stream_capsule_name = CString::new("arrow_array_stream").unwrap();
     PyCapsule::new_bound(py, stream, Some(stream_capsule_name))
 }
+
+pub struct DataFrameStreamIterator {
+    columns: Vec<polars::series::Series>,
+    data_type: arrow::datatypes::ArrowDataType,
+    idx: usize,
+    n_chunks: usize,
+}
+
+impl DataFrameStreamIterator {
+    fn new(df: polars::frame::DataFrame) -> Self {
+        let schema = df.schema().to_arrow(CompatLevel::oldest());
+        let data_type = arrow::datatypes::ArrowDataType::Struct(schema.fields);
+
+        Self {
+            columns: df.get_columns().to_vec(),
+            data_type,
+            idx: 0,
+            n_chunks: df.n_chunks(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn field(&self) -> ArrowField {
+        ArrowField::new("", self.data_type.clone(), false)
+    }
+}
+
+impl Iterator for DataFrameStreamIterator {
+    type Item = PolarsResult<Box<dyn arrow::array::Array>>;
+
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        if self.idx >= self.n_chunks {
+            None
+        } else {
+            // create a batch of the columns with the same chunk no.
+            let batch_cols = self
+                .columns
+                .iter()
+                .map(|s| s.to_arrow(self.idx, CompatLevel::oldest()))
+                .collect();
+            self.idx += 1;
+
+            let array = arrow::array::StructArray::new(
+                self.data_type.clone(),
+                batch_cols,
+                std::option::Option::None,
+            );
+            Some(std::result::Result::Ok(Box::new(array)))
+        }
+    }
+}