diff --git a/src/core/tools/applyDiffTool.ts b/src/core/tools/applyDiffTool.ts
index 2c637bc219..4730f6f52a 100644
--- a/src/core/tools/applyDiffTool.ts
+++ b/src/core/tools/applyDiffTool.ts
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ export async function applyDiffTool(
 				return
 			}
 
-			const originalContent = await fs.readFile(absolutePath, "utf-8")
+			let originalContent: string | null = await fs.readFile(absolutePath, "utf-8")
 
 			// Apply the diff to the original content
 			const diffResult = (await cline.diffStrategy?.applyDiff(
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ export async function applyDiffTool(
 				error: "No diff strategy available",
 			}
 
+			// Release the original content from memory as it's no longer needed
+			originalContent = null
+
 			if (!diffResult.success) {
 				cline.consecutiveMistakeCount++
 				const currentCount = (cline.consecutiveMistakeCountForApplyDiff.get(relPath) || 0) + 1