diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/85816-wsl-cache-files.yml b/changelogs/fragments/85816-wsl-cache-files.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0ecf10abc6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/85816-wsl-cache-files.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - cache plugins - close temp cache file before moving it to fix error on WSL. (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/85816)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cache/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cache/__init__.py
index 4ec276bca67..ec94fb1e12e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cache/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cache/__init__.py
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ class BaseFileCacheModule(BaseCacheModule):
             except OSError as ex:
                 display.error_as_warning(f"Error in {self.plugin_name!r} cache plugin while trying to write to {tmpfile_path!r}.", exception=ex)
             try:
+                os.close(tmpfile_handle)  # os.rename fails if handle is still open in WSL
                 os.rename(tmpfile_path, cachefile)
                 os.chmod(cachefile, mode=S_IRWU_RG_RO)
             except OSError as ex: