diff --git a/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py b/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py
index 46ddceed07b0d4..72b3b108be4432 100644
--- a/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py
+++ b/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py
@@ -1470,6 +1470,9 @@ def invalidate_caches():
         # https://bugs.python.org/issue45703
         _NamespacePath._epoch += 1
 
+        from importlib.metadata import MetadataPathFinder
+        MetadataPathFinder().invalidate_caches()
+
     @staticmethod
     def _path_hooks(path):
         """Search sys.path_hooks for a finder for 'path'."""
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_importlib/resources/test_files.py b/Lib/test/test_importlib/resources/test_files.py
index 26c8b04e44c3b9..dfc678f38ca3ad 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_importlib/resources/test_files.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_importlib/resources/test_files.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import unittest
 import warnings
 import importlib
+import inspect
 import contextlib
 
 from importlib import resources
@@ -90,6 +91,12 @@ def test_module_resources(self):
 
 
 class ImplicitContextFilesTests(SiteDir, unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        # clean up inspect state to avoid ref leaks (#116731)
+        inspect._filesbymodname.clear()
+        inspect.modulesbyfile.clear()
+
     def test_implicit_files(self):
         """
         Without any parameter, files() will infer the location as the caller.
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_main.py b/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_main.py
index 0a769b89841234..306636063211dc 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_main.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_main.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import pickle
 import unittest
 import warnings
+import importlib
 import importlib.metadata
 import contextlib
 from test.support import os_helper
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@ def suppress_known_deprecation():
 class BasicTests(fixtures.DistInfoPkg, unittest.TestCase):
     version_pattern = r'\d+\.\d+(\.\d)?'
 
+    def tearDown(self):
+        importlib.invalidate_caches()
+
     def test_retrieves_version_of_self(self):
         dist = Distribution.from_name('distinfo-pkg')
         assert isinstance(dist.version, str)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_metadata_api.py b/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_metadata_api.py
index 33c6e85ee94753..e2936303aca81f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_metadata_api.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_importlib/test_metadata_api.py
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ class APITests(
 ):
     version_pattern = r'\d+\.\d+(\.\d)?'
 
+    def tearDown(self):
+        importlib.invalidate_caches()
+
     def test_retrieves_version_of_self(self):
         pkg_version = version('egginfo-pkg')
         assert isinstance(pkg_version, str)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2024-03-13-16-59-56.gh-issue-116731.s2xTyz.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2024-03-13-16-59-56.gh-issue-116731.s2xTyz.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..99152c138b3dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2024-03-13-16-59-56.gh-issue-116731.s2xTyz.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Fixed nuisance refleaks warnings in tests for importlib.metadata and
+importlib.resources.