embodiments of the present application relate to the technical field of wireless communications , relating specifically to a method and a device for handling a mobility management context , for use in solving the problem in the prior art of an increase in signaling consumption or network load due to the absence of a defined duration of storage for the mobility management context on a network side . the method comprises : upon a network congestion and rejecting a request from a terminal , a network side device activating a first context timer for the terminal ; if the request of the terminal is received and accepted before the first context timer times out , the network side device retaining a mobility management context corresponding to the terminal ; if the request of the terminal is not received , or is received but not accepted before the first context timer times out , the network side device deleting the mobility management context corresponding to the terminal . as the duration of storage is defined for the mobility management context on the network side , the signaling consumption and the network load are thereby reduced .