diff --git a/include/osmium/area/problem_reporter_ogr.hpp b/include/osmium/area/problem_reporter_ogr.hpp
index 47a1aef2..d4c6cfd7 100644
--- a/include/osmium/area/problem_reporter_ogr.hpp
+++ b/include/osmium/area/problem_reporter_ogr.hpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ namespace osmium {
             }
 
             void write_line(const char* problem_type, osmium::object_id_type id1, osmium::object_id_type id2, osmium::Location loc1, osmium::Location loc2) {
-                auto ogr_linestring = std::unique_ptr<OGRLineString>{new OGRLineString{}};
+                auto ogr_linestring = std::make_unique<OGRLineString>();
                 ogr_linestring->addPoint(loc1.lon(), loc1.lat());
                 ogr_linestring->addPoint(loc2.lon(), loc2.lat());
 
diff --git a/include/osmium/geom/ogr.hpp b/include/osmium/geom/ogr.hpp
index cd2327a9..3c7a4420 100644
--- a/include/osmium/geom/ogr.hpp
+++ b/include/osmium/geom/ogr.hpp
@@ -83,13 +83,13 @@ namespace osmium {
                 /* Point */
 
                 static point_type make_point(const osmium::geom::Coordinates& xy) {
-                    return point_type{new OGRPoint{xy.x, xy.y}};
+                    return std::make_unique<OGRPoint>(xy.x, xy.y);
                 }
 
                 /* LineString */
 
                 void linestring_start() {
-                    m_linestring.reset(new OGRLineString{});
+                    m_linestring = std::make_unique<OGRLineString>();
                 }
 
                 void linestring_add_location(const osmium::geom::Coordinates& xy) {
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                 /* Polygon */
 
                 void polygon_start() {
-                    m_ring.reset(new OGRLinearRing{});
+                    m_ring = std::make_unique<OGRLinearRing>();
                 }
 
                 void polygon_add_location(const osmium::geom::Coordinates& xy) {
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                 }
 
                 polygon_type polygon_finish(size_t /* num_points */) {
-                    auto polygon = std::unique_ptr<OGRPolygon>{new OGRPolygon{}};
+                    auto polygon = std::make_unique<OGRPolygon>();
                     polygon->addRingDirectly(m_ring.release());
                     return polygon;
                 }
@@ -122,11 +122,11 @@ namespace osmium {
                 /* MultiPolygon */
 
                 void multipolygon_start() {
-                    m_multipolygon.reset(new OGRMultiPolygon{});
+                    m_multipolygon = std::make_unique<OGRMultiPolygon>();
                 }
 
                 void multipolygon_polygon_start() {
-                    m_polygon.reset(new OGRPolygon{});
+                    m_polygon = std::make_unique<OGRPolygon>();
                 }
 
                 void multipolygon_polygon_finish() {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                 }
 
                 void multipolygon_outer_ring_start() {
-                    m_ring.reset(new OGRLinearRing{});
+                    m_ring = std::make_unique<OGRLinearRing>();
                 }
 
                 void multipolygon_outer_ring_finish() {
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                 }
 
                 void multipolygon_inner_ring_start() {
-                    m_ring.reset(new OGRLinearRing{});
+                    m_ring = std::make_unique<OGRLinearRing>();
                 }
 
                 void multipolygon_inner_ring_finish() {
diff --git a/include/osmium/io/detail/pbf_output_format.hpp b/include/osmium/io/detail/pbf_output_format.hpp
index 670c29a8..9d8b0922 100644
--- a/include/osmium/io/detail/pbf_output_format.hpp
+++ b/include/osmium/io/detail/pbf_output_format.hpp
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ namespace osmium {
 
                 void add_dense_node(const osmium::Node& node) {
                     if (!m_dense_nodes) {
-                        m_dense_nodes.reset(new DenseNodes{&m_stringtable, &m_options});
+                        m_dense_nodes = std::make_unique<DenseNodes>(&m_stringtable, &m_options);
                     }
                     m_dense_nodes->add_node(node);
                     ++m_count;
diff --git a/include/osmium/io/detail/xml_input_format.hpp b/include/osmium/io/detail/xml_input_format.hpp
index e45267bd..35575e9e 100644
--- a/include/osmium/io/detail/xml_input_format.hpp
+++ b/include/osmium/io/detail/xml_input_format.hpp
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                     });
 
                     if (!m_tl_builder) {
-                        m_tl_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::TagListBuilder{builder});
+                        m_tl_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::TagListBuilder>(builder);
                     }
                     m_tl_builder->add_tag(k, v);
                 }
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                         mark_header_as_done();
                         if (read_types() & osmium::osm_entity_bits::node) {
                             maybe_new_buffer(osmium::item_type::node);
-                            m_node_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::NodeBuilder{buffer()});
+                            m_node_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::NodeBuilder>(buffer());
                             m_node_builder->set_user(init_object(m_node_builder->object(), attrs));
                         }
                         return;
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                         mark_header_as_done();
                         if (read_types() & osmium::osm_entity_bits::way) {
                             maybe_new_buffer(osmium::item_type::way);
-                            m_way_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::WayBuilder{buffer()});
+                            m_way_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::WayBuilder>(buffer());
                             m_way_builder->set_user(init_object(m_way_builder->object(), attrs));
                         }
                         return;
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                         mark_header_as_done();
                         if (read_types() & osmium::osm_entity_bits::relation) {
                             maybe_new_buffer(osmium::item_type::relation);
-                            m_relation_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::RelationBuilder{buffer()});
+                            m_relation_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::RelationBuilder>(buffer());
                             m_relation_builder->set_user(init_object(m_relation_builder->object(), attrs));
                         }
                         return;
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                         mark_header_as_done();
                         if (read_types() & osmium::osm_entity_bits::changeset) {
                             maybe_new_buffer(osmium::item_type::changeset);
-                            m_changeset_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::ChangesetBuilder{buffer()});
+                            m_changeset_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::ChangesetBuilder>(buffer());
                             init_changeset(*m_changeset_builder, attrs);
                         }
                     } else if (!std::strcmp(element, "create")) {
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                                     m_tl_builder.reset();
 
                                     if (!m_wnl_builder) {
-                                        m_wnl_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::WayNodeListBuilder{*m_way_builder});
+                                        m_wnl_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::WayNodeListBuilder>(*m_way_builder);
                                     }
 
                                     NodeRef nr;
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                                     m_tl_builder.reset();
 
                                     if (!m_rml_builder) {
-                                        m_rml_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::RelationMemberListBuilder{*m_relation_builder});
+                                        m_rml_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::RelationMemberListBuilder>(*m_relation_builder);
                                     }
 
                                     item_type type = item_type::undefined;
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ namespace osmium {
                                 if (read_types() & osmium::osm_entity_bits::changeset) {
                                     m_tl_builder.reset();
                                     if (!m_changeset_discussion_builder) {
-                                        m_changeset_discussion_builder.reset(new osmium::builder::ChangesetDiscussionBuilder{*m_changeset_builder});
+                                        m_changeset_discussion_builder = std::make_unique<osmium::builder::ChangesetDiscussionBuilder>(*m_changeset_builder);
                                     }
                                 }
                             } else if (!std::strcmp(element, "tag")) {