diff --git a/crates/derive-impl/src/pyclass.rs b/crates/derive-impl/src/pyclass.rs
index 57cbf67de5a..e54c1a867fd 100644
--- a/crates/derive-impl/src/pyclass.rs
+++ b/crates/derive-impl/src/pyclass.rs
@@ -574,51 +574,80 @@ pub(crate) fn impl_pyclass(attr: PunctuatedNestedMeta, item: Item) -> Result<Tok
     )?;
 
     const ALLOWED_TRAVERSE_OPTS: &[&str] = &["manual"];
-    // try to know if it have a `#[pyclass(trace)]` exist on this struct
-    // TODO(discord9): rethink on auto detect `#[Derive(PyTrace)]`
-
-    // 1. no `traverse` at all: generate a dummy try_traverse
-    // 2. `traverse = "manual"`: generate a try_traverse, but not #[derive(Traverse)]
-    // 3. `traverse`: generate a try_traverse, and #[derive(Traverse)]
-    let (maybe_trace_code, derive_trace) = {
-        if class_meta.inner()._has_key("traverse")? {
-            let maybe_trace_code = quote! {
-                impl ::rustpython_vm::object::MaybeTraverse for #ident {
-                    const IS_TRACE: bool = true;
-                    fn try_traverse(&self, tracer_fn: &mut ::rustpython_vm::object::TraverseFn) {
-                        ::rustpython_vm::object::Traverse::traverse(self, tracer_fn);
-                    }
+    // Generate MaybeTraverse impl with both traverse and clear support
+    //
+    // For traverse:
+    // 1. no `traverse` at all: HAS_TRAVERSE = false, try_traverse does nothing
+    // 2. `traverse = "manual"`: HAS_TRAVERSE = true, but no #[derive(Traverse)]
+    // 3. `traverse`: HAS_TRAVERSE = true, and #[derive(Traverse)]
+    //
+    // For clear (tp_clear):
+    // 1. no `clear`: HAS_CLEAR = HAS_TRAVERSE (default: same as traverse)
+    // 2. `clear` or `clear = true`: HAS_CLEAR = true, try_clear calls Traverse::clear
+    // 3. `clear = false`: HAS_CLEAR = false (rare: traverse without clear)
+    let has_traverse = class_meta.inner()._has_key("traverse")?;
+    let has_clear = if class_meta.inner()._has_key("clear")? {
+        // If clear attribute is present, use its value
+        class_meta.inner()._bool("clear")?
+    } else {
+        // If clear attribute is absent, default to same as traverse
+        has_traverse
+    };
+
+    let derive_trace = if has_traverse {
+        // _optional_str returns Err when key exists without value (e.g., `traverse` vs `traverse = "manual"`)
+        // We want to derive Traverse in that case, so we handle Err as Ok(None)
+        let value = class_meta.inner()._optional_str("traverse").ok().flatten();
+        if let Some(s) = value {
+            if !ALLOWED_TRAVERSE_OPTS.contains(&s.as_str()) {
+                bail_span!(
+                    item,
+                    "traverse attribute only accept {ALLOWED_TRAVERSE_OPTS:?} as value or no value at all",
+                );
+            }
+            assert_eq!(s, "manual");
+            quote! {}
+        } else {
+            quote! {#[derive(Traverse)]}
+        }
+    } else {
+        quote! {}
+    };
+
+    let maybe_traverse_code = {
+        let try_traverse_body = if has_traverse {
+            quote! {
+                ::rustpython_vm::object::Traverse::traverse(self, tracer_fn);
+            }
+        } else {
+            quote! {
+                // do nothing
+            }
+        };
+
+        let try_clear_body = if has_clear {
+            quote! {
+                ::rustpython_vm::object::Traverse::clear(self, out);
+            }
+        } else {
+            quote! {
+                // do nothing
+            }
+        };
+
+        quote! {
+            impl ::rustpython_vm::object::MaybeTraverse for #ident {
+                const HAS_TRAVERSE: bool = #has_traverse;
+                const HAS_CLEAR: bool = #has_clear;
+
+                fn try_traverse(&self, tracer_fn: &mut ::rustpython_vm::object::TraverseFn) {
+                    #try_traverse_body
                 }
-            };
-            // if the key `traverse` exist but not as key-value, _optional_str return Err(...)
-            // so we need to check if it is Ok(Some(...))
-            let value = class_meta.inner()._optional_str("traverse");
-            let derive_trace = if let Ok(Some(s)) = value {
-                if !ALLOWED_TRAVERSE_OPTS.contains(&s.as_str()) {
-                    bail_span!(
-                        item,
-                        "traverse attribute only accept {ALLOWED_TRAVERSE_OPTS:?} as value or no value at all",
-                    );
+
+                fn try_clear(&mut self, out: &mut ::std::vec::Vec<::rustpython_vm::PyObjectRef>) {
+                    #try_clear_body
                 }
-                assert_eq!(s, "manual");
-                quote! {}
-            } else {
-                quote! {#[derive(Traverse)]}
-            };
-            (maybe_trace_code, derive_trace)
-        } else {
-            (
-                // a dummy impl, which do nothing
-                // #attrs
-                quote! {
-                    impl ::rustpython_vm::object::MaybeTraverse for #ident {
-                        fn try_traverse(&self, tracer_fn: &mut ::rustpython_vm::object::TraverseFn) {
-                            // do nothing
-                        }
-                    }
-                },
-                quote! {},
-            )
+            }
         }
     };
 
@@ -675,7 +704,7 @@ pub(crate) fn impl_pyclass(attr: PunctuatedNestedMeta, item: Item) -> Result<Tok
     let ret = quote! {
         #derive_trace
         #item
-        #maybe_trace_code
+        #maybe_traverse_code
         #class_def
         #impl_payload
         #empty_impl
diff --git a/crates/derive-impl/src/pystructseq.rs b/crates/derive-impl/src/pystructseq.rs
index 0ee0c2c2e3c..75617d300be 100644
--- a/crates/derive-impl/src/pystructseq.rs
+++ b/crates/derive-impl/src/pystructseq.rs
@@ -606,9 +606,16 @@ pub(crate) fn impl_pystruct_sequence(
 
         // MaybeTraverse - delegate to inner PyTuple
         impl ::rustpython_vm::object::MaybeTraverse for #pytype_ident {
+            const HAS_TRAVERSE: bool = true;
+            const HAS_CLEAR: bool = true;
+
             fn try_traverse(&self, traverse_fn: &mut ::rustpython_vm::object::TraverseFn<'_>) {
                 self.0.try_traverse(traverse_fn)
             }
+
+            fn try_clear(&mut self, out: &mut ::std::vec::Vec<::rustpython_vm::PyObjectRef>) {
+                self.0.try_clear(out)
+            }
         }
 
         // PySubclass for proper inheritance
diff --git a/crates/derive-impl/src/util.rs b/crates/derive-impl/src/util.rs
index 6be1fcdf7ad..b09ad9c93fe 100644
--- a/crates/derive-impl/src/util.rs
+++ b/crates/derive-impl/src/util.rs
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ impl ItemMeta for ClassItemMeta {
         "ctx",
         "impl",
         "traverse",
+        "clear", // tp_clear
     ];
 
     fn from_inner(inner: ItemMetaInner) -> Self {
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/builtins/dict.rs b/crates/vm/src/builtins/dict.rs
index d1adb8a066d..fcb51c2ca0e 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/builtins/dict.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/builtins/dict.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use super::{
     IterStatus, PositionIterInternal, PyBaseExceptionRef, PyGenericAlias, PyMappingProxy, PySet,
     PyStr, PyStrRef, PyTupleRef, PyType, PyTypeRef, set::PySetInner,
 };
+use crate::object::{Traverse, TraverseFn};
 use crate::{
     AsObject, Context, Py, PyObject, PyObjectRef, PyPayload, PyRef, PyRefExact, PyResult,
     TryFromObject, atomic_func,
@@ -29,13 +30,28 @@ use std::sync::LazyLock;
 
 pub type DictContentType = dict_inner::Dict;
 
-#[pyclass(module = false, name = "dict", unhashable = true, traverse)]
+#[pyclass(module = false, name = "dict", unhashable = true, traverse = "manual")]
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct PyDict {
     entries: DictContentType,
 }
 pub type PyDictRef = PyRef<PyDict>;
 
+// SAFETY: Traverse properly visits all owned PyObjectRefs
+unsafe impl Traverse for PyDict {
+    fn traverse(&self, traverse_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
+        self.entries.traverse(traverse_fn);
+    }
+
+    fn clear(&mut self, out: &mut Vec<PyObjectRef>) {
+        // Pop all entries and collect both keys and values
+        for (key, value) in self.entries.drain_entries() {
+            out.push(key);
+            out.push(value);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl fmt::Debug for PyDict {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         // TODO: implement more detailed, non-recursive Debug formatter
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/builtins/function.rs b/crates/vm/src/builtins/function.rs
index 9297cf07201..632fd867d2e 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/builtins/function.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/builtins/function.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,70 @@ unsafe impl Traverse for PyFunction {
             closure.as_untyped().traverse(tracer_fn);
         }
         self.defaults_and_kwdefaults.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        // Traverse additional fields that may contain references
+        self.type_params.lock().traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.annotations.lock().traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.module.lock().traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.doc.lock().traverse(tracer_fn);
+    }
+
+    fn clear(&mut self, out: &mut Vec<crate::PyObjectRef>) {
+        // Pop closure if present (equivalent to Py_CLEAR(func_closure))
+        if let Some(closure) = self.closure.take() {
+            out.push(closure.into());
+        }
+
+        // Pop defaults and kwdefaults
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.defaults_and_kwdefaults.try_lock() {
+            if let Some(defaults) = guard.0.take() {
+                out.push(defaults.into());
+            }
+            if let Some(kwdefaults) = guard.1.take() {
+                out.push(kwdefaults.into());
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Clear annotations and annotate (Py_CLEAR)
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.annotations.try_lock()
+            && let Some(annotations) = guard.take()
+        {
+            out.push(annotations.into());
+        }
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.annotate.try_lock()
+            && let Some(annotate) = guard.take()
+        {
+            out.push(annotate);
+        }
+
+        // Clear module, doc, and type_params (Py_CLEAR)
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.module.try_lock() {
+            let old_module =
+                std::mem::replace(&mut *guard, Context::genesis().none.to_owned().into());
+            out.push(old_module);
+        }
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.doc.try_lock() {
+            let old_doc = std::mem::replace(&mut *guard, Context::genesis().none.to_owned().into());
+            out.push(old_doc);
+        }
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.type_params.try_lock() {
+            let old_type_params =
+                std::mem::replace(&mut *guard, Context::genesis().empty_tuple.to_owned());
+            out.push(old_type_params.into());
+        }
+
+        // Replace name and qualname with empty string to break potential str subclass cycles
+        // name and qualname could be str subclasses, so they could have reference cycles
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.name.try_lock() {
+            let old_name = std::mem::replace(&mut *guard, Context::genesis().empty_str.to_owned());
+            out.push(old_name.into());
+        }
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.qualname.try_lock() {
+            let old_qualname =
+                std::mem::replace(&mut *guard, Context::genesis().empty_str.to_owned());
+            out.push(old_qualname.into());
+        }
+
+        // Note: globals, builtins, code are NOT cleared (required to be non-NULL)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs b/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs
index 02475ee12b6..84825de7d3d 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/builtins/list.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use crate::atomic_func;
 use crate::common::lock::{
     PyMappedRwLockReadGuard, PyMutex, PyRwLock, PyRwLockReadGuard, PyRwLockWriteGuard,
 };
+use crate::object::{Traverse, TraverseFn};
 use crate::{
     AsObject, Context, Py, PyObject, PyObjectRef, PyPayload, PyRef, PyResult,
     class::PyClassImpl,
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ use crate::{
 use alloc::fmt;
 use core::ops::DerefMut;
 
-#[pyclass(module = false, name = "list", unhashable = true, traverse)]
+#[pyclass(module = false, name = "list", unhashable = true, traverse = "manual")]
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct PyList {
     elements: PyRwLock<Vec<PyObjectRef>>,
@@ -50,6 +51,22 @@ impl FromIterator<PyObjectRef> for PyList {
     }
 }
 
+// SAFETY: Traverse properly visits all owned PyObjectRefs
+unsafe impl Traverse for PyList {
+    fn traverse(&self, traverse_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
+        self.elements.traverse(traverse_fn);
+    }
+
+    fn clear(&mut self, out: &mut Vec<PyObjectRef>) {
+        // During GC, we use interior mutability to access elements.
+        // This is safe because during GC collection, the object is unreachable
+        // and no other code should be accessing it.
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.elements.try_write() {
+            out.extend(guard.drain(..));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl PyPayload for PyList {
     #[inline]
     fn class(ctx: &Context) -> &'static Py<PyType> {
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/builtins/str.rs b/crates/vm/src/builtins/str.rs
index 640778c8cb9..d765847c1ab 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/builtins/str.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/builtins/str.rs
@@ -1924,9 +1924,16 @@ impl fmt::Display for PyUtf8Str {
 }
 
 impl MaybeTraverse for PyUtf8Str {
+    const HAS_TRAVERSE: bool = true;
+    const HAS_CLEAR: bool = false;
+
     fn try_traverse(&self, traverse_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
         self.0.try_traverse(traverse_fn);
     }
+
+    fn try_clear(&mut self, _out: &mut Vec<PyObjectRef>) {
+        // No clear needed for PyUtf8Str
+    }
 }
 
 impl PyPayload for PyUtf8Str {
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/builtins/tuple.rs b/crates/vm/src/builtins/tuple.rs
index f6eff5b91e5..ba296686c73 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/builtins/tuple.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/builtins/tuple.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use crate::common::{
     hash::{PyHash, PyUHash},
     lock::PyMutex,
 };
+use crate::object::{Traverse, TraverseFn};
 use crate::{
     AsObject, Context, Py, PyObject, PyObjectRef, PyPayload, PyRef, PyResult, TryFromObject,
     atomic_func,
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ use crate::{
 use alloc::fmt;
 use std::sync::LazyLock;
 
-#[pyclass(module = false, name = "tuple", traverse)]
+#[pyclass(module = false, name = "tuple", traverse = "manual")]
 pub struct PyTuple<R = PyObjectRef> {
     elements: Box<[R]>,
 }
@@ -36,6 +37,19 @@ impl<R> fmt::Debug for PyTuple<R> {
     }
 }
 
+// SAFETY: Traverse properly visits all owned PyObjectRefs
+// Note: Only impl for PyTuple<PyObjectRef> (the default)
+unsafe impl Traverse for PyTuple {
+    fn traverse(&self, traverse_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
+        self.elements.traverse(traverse_fn);
+    }
+
+    fn clear(&mut self, out: &mut Vec<PyObjectRef>) {
+        let elements = std::mem::take(&mut self.elements);
+        out.extend(elements.into_vec());
+    }
+}
+
 impl PyPayload for PyTuple {
     #[inline]
     fn class(ctx: &Context) -> &'static Py<PyType> {
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/dict_inner.rs b/crates/vm/src/dict_inner.rs
index 1d9fe8403ab..f2a379d99a5 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/dict_inner.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/dict_inner.rs
@@ -724,6 +724,17 @@ impl<T: Clone> Dict<T> {
             + inner.indices.len() * size_of::<i64>()
             + inner.entries.len() * size_of::<DictEntry<T>>()
     }
+
+    /// Pop all entries from the dict, returning (key, value) pairs.
+    /// This is used for circular reference resolution in GC.
+    /// Requires &mut self to avoid lock contention.
+    pub fn drain_entries(&mut self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (PyObjectRef, T)> + '_ {
+        let inner = self.inner.get_mut();
+        inner.used = 0;
+        inner.filled = 0;
+        inner.indices.iter_mut().for_each(|i| *i = IndexEntry::FREE);
+        inner.entries.drain(..).flatten().map(|e| (e.key, e.value))
+    }
 }
 
 type LookupResult = (IndexEntry, IndexIndex);
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/frame.rs b/crates/vm/src/frame.rs
index d83be841275..09da89089b9 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/frame.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/frame.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use crate::{
     coroutine::Coro,
     exceptions::ExceptionCtor,
     function::{ArgMapping, Either, FuncArgs},
+    object::{Traverse, TraverseFn},
     protocol::{PyIter, PyIterReturn},
     scope::Scope,
     stdlib::{builtins, typing},
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ type Lasti = atomic::AtomicU32;
 #[cfg(not(feature = "threading"))]
 type Lasti = core::cell::Cell<u32>;
 
-#[pyclass(module = false, name = "frame")]
+#[pyclass(module = false, name = "frame", traverse = "manual")]
 pub struct Frame {
     pub code: PyRef<PyCode>,
     pub func_obj: Option<PyObjectRef>,
@@ -97,6 +98,27 @@ impl PyPayload for Frame {
     }
 }
 
+unsafe impl Traverse for FrameState {
+    fn traverse(&self, tracer_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
+        self.stack.traverse(tracer_fn);
+    }
+}
+
+unsafe impl Traverse for Frame {
+    fn traverse(&self, tracer_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
+        self.code.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.func_obj.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.fastlocals.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.cells_frees.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.locals.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.globals.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.builtins.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.trace.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.state.traverse(tracer_fn);
+        self.temporary_refs.traverse(tracer_fn);
+    }
+}
+
 // Running a frame can result in one of the below:
 pub enum ExecutionResult {
     Return(PyObjectRef),
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/object/core.rs b/crates/vm/src/object/core.rs
index 4e51e296462..c949cae9053 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/object/core.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/object/core.rs
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ pub(super) unsafe fn debug_obj<T: PyPayload + core::fmt::Debug>(
 }
 
 /// Call `try_trace` on payload
-pub(super) unsafe fn try_trace_obj<T: PyPayload>(x: &PyObject, tracer_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
+pub(super) unsafe fn try_traverse_obj<T: PyPayload>(x: &PyObject, tracer_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>) {
     let x = unsafe { &*(x as *const PyObject as *const PyInner<T>) };
     let payload = &x.payload;
     payload.try_traverse(tracer_fn)
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/object/traverse.rs b/crates/vm/src/object/traverse.rs
index 2ce0db41a5e..367076b78e3 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/object/traverse.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/object/traverse.rs
@@ -12,9 +12,13 @@ pub type TraverseFn<'a> = dyn FnMut(&PyObject) + 'a;
 /// Every PyObjectPayload impl `MaybeTrace`, which may or may not be traceable
 pub trait MaybeTraverse {
     /// if is traceable, will be used by vtable to determine
-    const IS_TRACE: bool = false;
+    const HAS_TRAVERSE: bool = false;
+    /// if has clear implementation for circular reference resolution (tp_clear)
+    const HAS_CLEAR: bool = false;
     // if this type is traceable, then call with tracer_fn, default to do nothing
     fn try_traverse(&self, traverse_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>);
+    // if this type has clear, extract child refs for circular reference resolution (tp_clear)
+    fn try_clear(&mut self, _out: &mut Vec<PyObjectRef>) {}
 }
 
 /// Type that need traverse it's children should impl [`Traverse`] (not [`MaybeTraverse`])
@@ -28,6 +32,11 @@ pub unsafe trait Traverse {
     ///
     /// - _**DO NOT**_ clone a [`PyObjectRef`] or [`PyRef<T>`] in [`Traverse::traverse()`]
     fn traverse(&self, traverse_fn: &mut TraverseFn<'_>);
+
+    /// Extract all owned child PyObjectRefs for circular reference resolution (tp_clear).
+    /// Called just before object deallocation to break circular references.
+    /// Default implementation does nothing.
+    fn clear(&mut self, _out: &mut Vec<PyObjectRef>) {}
 }
 
 unsafe impl Traverse for PyObjectRef {
diff --git a/crates/vm/src/object/traverse_object.rs b/crates/vm/src/object/traverse_object.rs
index 7a66f0b35f0..840bbd42b39 100644
--- a/crates/vm/src/object/traverse_object.rs
+++ b/crates/vm/src/object/traverse_object.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use crate::{
     PyObject,
     object::{
         Erased, InstanceDict, MaybeTraverse, PyInner, PyObjectPayload, debug_obj, drop_dealloc_obj,
-        try_trace_obj,
+        try_traverse_obj,
     },
 };
 
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ impl PyObjVTable {
             drop_dealloc: drop_dealloc_obj::<T>,
             debug: debug_obj::<T>,
             trace: const {
-                if T::IS_TRACE {
-                    Some(try_trace_obj::<T>)
+                if T::HAS_TRAVERSE {
+                    Some(try_traverse_obj::<T>)
                 } else {
                     None
                 }