diff --git a/lout/identity.cc b/lout/identity.cc
index ce54113..ea86c0c 100644
--- a/lout/identity.cc
+++ b/lout/identity.cc
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ void IdentifiableObject::registerName (const char *className, int *classId)
 {
    Class *klass = classesByName.at( className ).get();
    if (klass == NULL) {
-      klass = new Class (currentlyConstructedClass, classesById.size (),
-                         className);
-      classesByName.emplace (className, klass);
-      classesById.push_back (klass);
+      classesByName.emplace( className,
+            std::make_unique< Class >( currentlyConstructedClass, classesById.size(), className ) );
+      klass= classesByName.at( className ).get();
+      classesById.push_back( klass );
       *classId = klass->id;
    }