diff --git a/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/benchmark/CometBenchmarkBase.scala b/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/benchmark/CometBenchmarkBase.scala
index 385c1eb1f93..afb072c7953 100644
--- a/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/benchmark/CometBenchmarkBase.scala
+++ b/spark/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/benchmark/CometBenchmarkBase.scala
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ trait CometBenchmarkBase
     sparkSession.conf.set(CometConf.COMET_EXEC_ENABLED.key, "false")
     // Benchmarks use invalid input values that should produce NULL, not exceptions
     sparkSession.conf.set(SQLConf.ANSI_ENABLED.key, "false")
+    // Comet falls back to Spark for any Parquet scan of a ShortType column unless this check is
+    // disabled, because the column may hold an unsigned UINT_8. Benchmark tables are written by
+    // Spark, where ShortType is always a signed INT16, so the check only turns Comet cases that
+    // read a ShortType column into Spark measurements.
+    sparkSession.conf.set(CometConf.COMET_PARQUET_UNSIGNED_SMALL_INT_CHECK.key, "false")
 
     sparkSession
   }