diff --git a/dw/fltkimgbuf.hh b/dw/fltkimgbuf.hh
index 5c2be4c..2ea3152 100644
--- a/dw/fltkimgbuf.hh
+++ b/dw/fltkimgbuf.hh
@@ -49,10 +49,8 @@ private:
    int isRoot() { return (root == NULL); }
    void detachScaledBuf (FltkImgbuf *scaledBuf);
 
-protected:
-   ~FltkImgbuf ();
-
 public:
+   ~FltkImgbuf ();
    FltkImgbuf (Type type, int width, int height, double gamma);
 
    static void freeall ();
diff --git a/dw/fltkplatform.cc b/dw/fltkplatform.cc
index af713db..ab14ef2 100644
--- a/dw/fltkplatform.cc
+++ b/dw/fltkplatform.cc
@@ -692,10 +692,11 @@ void FltkPlatform::copySelection(const char *text)
    Fl::copy(text, strlen(text), 0);
 }
 
-core::Imgbuf *FltkPlatform::createImgbuf (core::Imgbuf::Type type,
-                                          int width, int height, double gamma)
+std::unique_ptr< core::Imgbuf >
+FltkPlatform::createImgbuf( core::Imgbuf::Type type,
+		int width, int height, double gamma)
 {
-   return new FltkImgbuf (type, width, height, gamma);
+   return std::make_unique< FltkImgbuf >( type, width, height, gamma );
 }
 
 core::ui::ResourceFactory *FltkPlatform::getResourceFactory ()
diff --git a/dw/fltkplatform.hh b/dw/fltkplatform.hh
index 7b984b2..92ac540 100644
--- a/dw/fltkplatform.hh
+++ b/dw/fltkplatform.hh
@@ -171,8 +171,8 @@ public:
    core::style::Tooltip *createTooltip (const char *text);
    void cancelTooltip();
 
-   core::Imgbuf *createImgbuf (core::Imgbuf::Type type, int width, int height,
-                               double gamma);
+   std::unique_ptr< core::Imgbuf > createImgbuf( core::Imgbuf::Type type, int width, int height,
+                               double gamma );
 
    void copySelection(const char *text);
 
diff --git a/dw/layout.hh b/dw/layout.hh
index ef15d59..04d169b 100644
--- a/dw/layout.hh
+++ b/dw/layout.hh
@@ -414,8 +414,8 @@ public:
       return platform->cancelTooltip ();
    }
 
-   inline Imgbuf *createImgbuf (Imgbuf::Type type, int width, int height,
-                                double gamma)
+   inline std::unique_ptr< Imgbuf >
+   createImgbuf( Imgbuf::Type type, int width, int height, double gamma )
    {
       return platform->createImgbuf (type, width, height, gamma);
    }
diff --git a/dw/platform.hh b/dw/platform.hh
index 093508d..2748aca 100644
--- a/dw/platform.hh
+++ b/dw/platform.hh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef __DW_PLATFORM_HH__
 #define __DW_PLATFORM_HH__
 
+#include <memory>
+
 #ifndef __INCLUDED_FROM_DW_CORE_HH__
 #   error Do not include this file directly, use "core.hh" instead.
 #endif
@@ -152,8 +154,8 @@ public:
     *
     * "gamma" is the value by which the image data is gamma-encoded.
     */
-   virtual Imgbuf *createImgbuf (Imgbuf::Type type, int width, int height,
-                                 double gamma) = 0;
+   virtual std::unique_ptr< Imgbuf > createImgbuf( Imgbuf::Type type, int width, int height,
+                                 double gamma )= 0;
 
    /**
     * \brief Copy selected text (0-terminated).
diff --git a/src/imgbuf.cc b/src/imgbuf.cc
index 852fb4b..edb6cf6 100644
--- a/src/imgbuf.cc
+++ b/src/imgbuf.cc
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void *a_Imgbuf_new(void *layout, int img_type, uint_t width, uint_t height,
    }
 
    return (void*)((Layout*)layout)->createImgbuf(Imgbuf::RGB, width, height,
-                                                 gamma);
+                                                 gamma).release();
 }
 
 /**