diff --git a/dw/fltkplatform.cc b/dw/fltkplatform.cc
index ab14ef2..f0ac7b5 100644
--- a/dw/fltkplatform.cc
+++ b/dw/fltkplatform.cc
@@ -52,9 +52,7 @@ container::typed::HashTable <dw::core::style::FontAttrs,
    new container::typed::HashTable <dw::core::style::FontAttrs,
                                     FltkFont> (false, false);
 
-container::typed::HashTable <lout::object::ConstString,
-                             FltkFont::FontFamily> *FltkFont::systemFonts =
-                             NULL;
+std::optional< std::map< std::string, std::unique_ptr< FltkFont::FontFamily > > > FltkFont::systemFonts;
 
 FltkFont::FontFamily FltkFont::standardFontFamily (FL_HELVETICA,
                                                    FL_HELVETICA_BOLD,
@@ -108,10 +106,12 @@ FltkFont::FltkFont (core::style::FontAttrs *attrs)
    if (style != core::style::FONT_STYLE_NORMAL)
       fa |= FL_ITALIC;
 
-   object::ConstString nameString (name);
-   FontFamily *family = systemFonts->get (&nameString);
-   if (!family)
+   FontFamily *family= nullptr;
+   if ( not systemFonts->contains( name ) )
       family = &standardFontFamily;
+   else
+      family= systemFonts->at( name ).get();
+   assert( family );
 
    font = family->get (fa);
 
@@ -141,8 +141,7 @@ static void strstrip(char *big, const char *little)
 
 void FltkFont::initSystemFonts ()
 {
-   systemFonts = new container::typed::HashTable
-      <lout::object::ConstString, FontFamily> (true, true);
+   systemFonts.emplace();
 
    int k = Fl::set_fonts ("-*-iso10646-1");
    for (int i = 0; i < k; i++) {
@@ -158,19 +157,16 @@ void FltkFont::initSystemFonts ()
       _MSG("Found font: %s%s%s\n", name, t & FL_BOLD ? " bold" : "",
                                   t & FL_ITALIC ? " italic" : "");
 
-      object::String *familyName = new object::String(name);
       free (name);
-      FontFamily *family = systemFonts->get (familyName);
 
-      if (family) {
+      auto &family = (*systemFonts)[ name ];
+      if( family ) {
          family->set ((Fl_Font) i, t);
-         delete familyName;
       } else {
          // set first font of family also as normal font in case there
          // is no normal (non-bold, non-italic) font
-         family = new FontFamily ((Fl_Font) i, -1, -1, -1);
-         family->set ((Fl_Font) i, t);
-         systemFonts->put (familyName, family);
+         family = std::make_unique< FontFamily >( (Fl_Font) i, -1, -1, -1 );
+         family->set( (Fl_Font) i, t );
       }
    }
 }
@@ -180,8 +176,7 @@ FltkFont::fontExists (const char *name)
 {
    if (!systemFonts)
       initSystemFonts ();
-   object::ConstString familyName (name);
-   return systemFonts->get (&familyName) != NULL;
+   return systemFonts->contains(name);
 }
 
 Fl_Font
@@ -189,10 +184,8 @@ FltkFont::get (const char *name, int attrs)
 {
    if (!systemFonts)
       initSystemFonts ();
-   object::ConstString familyName (name);
-   FontFamily *family = systemFonts->get (&familyName);
-   if (family)
-      return family->get (attrs);
+   if( systemFonts->contains( name ) )
+      return systemFonts->at( name )->get (attrs);
    else
       return FL_HELVETICA;
 }
diff --git a/dw/fltkplatform.hh b/dw/fltkplatform.hh
index 92ac540..134fadc 100644
--- a/dw/fltkplatform.hh
+++ b/dw/fltkplatform.hh
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ class FltkFont: public core::style::Font
 
    static FontFamily standardFontFamily;
 
-   static lout::container::typed::HashTable <lout::object::ConstString,
-                                             FontFamily> *systemFonts;
+   static std::optional< std::map< std::string, std::unique_ptr< FontFamily > > > systemFonts;
    static lout::container::typed::HashTable <dw::core::style::FontAttrs,
                                        FltkFont> *fontsTable;