diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 0ee2751410..9f228adf4e 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Version 3.2.0
 Unreleased
 
 -   Remove previously deprecated code: ``__version__``. :pr:`5648`
+-   Fix reference cycle in exception handling: :issue:`5709`
 
 
 Version 3.1.1
diff --git a/src/flask/app.py b/src/flask/app.py
index d2743c41ba..922b44fd6e 100644
--- a/src/flask/app.py
+++ b/src/flask/app.py
@@ -1525,6 +1525,7 @@ def wsgi_app(
                 error = None
 
             ctx.pop(error)
+            del error
 
     def __call__(
         self, environ: WSGIEnvironment, start_response: StartResponse