diff --git a/src/deleted.cpp b/src/deleted.cpp
index aa26a4a2f0..1b7de55728 100644
--- a/src/deleted.cpp
+++ b/src/deleted.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ Deleted::~Deleted()
     }
     deleteEffectWindow();
     deleteItem();
-    deleteShadow();
 }
 
 WindowItem *Deleted::createItem(Scene *scene)
diff --git a/src/scene/workspacescene.h b/src/scene/workspacescene.h
index 75656791ea..9c8d9a24f9 100644
--- a/src/scene/workspacescene.h
+++ b/src/scene/workspacescene.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public:
      *
      * @param window The Window for which the Shadow needs to be created.
      */
-    virtual Shadow *createShadow(Window *window) = 0;
+    virtual std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadow(Window *window) = 0;
 
     virtual bool makeOpenGLContextCurrent();
     virtual void doneOpenGLContextCurrent();
diff --git a/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.cpp b/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.cpp
index 00488ddf6e..2c00f45e97 100644
--- a/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.cpp
+++ b/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.cpp
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ bool WorkspaceSceneOpenGL::supportsNativeFence() const
     return m_backend->supportsNativeFence();
 }
 
-Shadow *WorkspaceSceneOpenGL::createShadow(Window *window)
+std::unique_ptr<Shadow> WorkspaceSceneOpenGL::createShadow(Window *window)
 {
-    return new SceneOpenGLShadow(window);
+    return std::make_unique<SceneOpenGLShadow>(window);
 }
 
 DecorationRenderer *WorkspaceSceneOpenGL::createDecorationRenderer(Decoration::DecoratedClientImpl *impl)
diff --git a/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.h b/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.h
index 0818acfb50..f7a20094ab 100644
--- a/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.h
+++ b/src/scene/workspacescene_opengl.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public:
     explicit WorkspaceSceneOpenGL(OpenGLBackend *backend);
     ~WorkspaceSceneOpenGL() override;
 
-    Shadow *createShadow(Window *window) override;
+    std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadow(Window *window) override;
     bool makeOpenGLContextCurrent() override;
     void doneOpenGLContextCurrent() override;
     bool supportsNativeFence() const override;
diff --git a/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.cpp b/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.cpp
index 1f16777e98..840d9e7f91 100644
--- a/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.cpp
+++ b/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.cpp
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ WorkspaceSceneQPainter::~WorkspaceSceneQPainter()
 {
 }
 
-Shadow *WorkspaceSceneQPainter::createShadow(Window *window)
+std::unique_ptr<Shadow> WorkspaceSceneQPainter::createShadow(Window *window)
 {
-    return new SceneQPainterShadow(window);
+    return std::make_unique<SceneQPainterShadow>(window);
 }
 
 DecorationRenderer *WorkspaceSceneQPainter::createDecorationRenderer(Decoration::DecoratedClientImpl *impl)
diff --git a/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.h b/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.h
index b1b39e34e2..7bc30e2780 100644
--- a/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.h
+++ b/src/scene/workspacescene_qpainter.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public:
     explicit WorkspaceSceneQPainter(QPainterBackend *backend);
     ~WorkspaceSceneQPainter() override;
 
-    Shadow *createShadow(Window *window) override;
+    std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadow(Window *window) override;
     DecorationRenderer *createDecorationRenderer(Decoration::DecoratedClientImpl *impl) override;
 
     bool animationsSupported() const override
diff --git a/src/shadow.cpp b/src/shadow.cpp
index b081948b92..accc3f7f43 100644
--- a/src/shadow.cpp
+++ b/src/shadow.cpp
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ Shadow::~Shadow()
 {
 }
 
-Shadow *Shadow::createShadow(Window *window)
+std::unique_ptr<Shadow> Shadow::createShadow(Window *window)
 {
-    Shadow *shadow = createShadowFromDecoration(window);
+    auto shadow = createShadowFromDecoration(window);
     if (!shadow && waylandServer()) {
         shadow = createShadowFromWayland(window);
     }
@@ -56,14 +56,12 @@ Shadow *Shadow::createShadow(Window *window)
     return shadow;
 }
 
-Shadow *Shadow::createShadowFromX11(Window *window)
+std::unique_ptr<Shadow> Shadow::createShadowFromX11(Window *window)
 {
     auto data = Shadow::readX11ShadowProperty(window->window());
     if (!data.isEmpty()) {
-        Shadow *shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
-
+        auto shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
         if (!shadow->init(data)) {
-            delete shadow;
             return nullptr;
         }
         return shadow;
@@ -72,20 +70,19 @@ Shadow *Shadow::createShadowFromX11(Window *window)
     }
 }
 
-Shadow *Shadow::createShadowFromDecoration(Window *window)
+std::unique_ptr<Shadow> Shadow::createShadowFromDecoration(Window *window)
 {
     if (!window->decoration()) {
         return nullptr;
     }
-    Shadow *shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
+    auto shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
     if (!shadow->init(window->decoration())) {
-        delete shadow;
         return nullptr;
     }
     return shadow;
 }
 
-Shadow *Shadow::createShadowFromWayland(Window *window)
+std::unique_ptr<Shadow> Shadow::createShadowFromWayland(Window *window)
 {
     auto surface = window->surface();
     if (!surface) {
@@ -95,15 +92,14 @@ Shadow *Shadow::createShadowFromWayland(Window *window)
     if (!s) {
         return nullptr;
     }
-    Shadow *shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
+    auto shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
     if (!shadow->init(s)) {
-        delete shadow;
         return nullptr;
     }
     return shadow;
 }
 
-Shadow *Shadow::createShadowFromInternalWindow(Window *window)
+std::unique_ptr<Shadow> Shadow::createShadowFromInternalWindow(Window *window)
 {
     const InternalWindow *internalWindow = qobject_cast<InternalWindow *>(window);
     if (!internalWindow) {
@@ -113,9 +109,8 @@ Shadow *Shadow::createShadowFromInternalWindow(Window *window)
     if (!handle) {
         return nullptr;
     }
-    Shadow *shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
+    auto shadow = Compositor::self()->scene()->createShadow(window);
     if (!shadow->init(handle)) {
-        delete shadow;
         return nullptr;
     }
     return shadow;
diff --git a/src/shadow.h b/src/shadow.h
index f89255c04b..f7ca69225c 100644
--- a/src/shadow.h
+++ b/src/shadow.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public:
      * @param window The Window for which the shadow should be created
      * @return Created Shadow or @c NULL in case there is no shadow defined.
      */
-    static Shadow *createShadow(Window *window);
+    static std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadow(Window *window);
 
     Window *window() const;
     /**
@@ -134,10 +134,10 @@ protected:
     void setShadowElement(const QPixmap &shadow, ShadowElements element);
 
 private:
-    static Shadow *createShadowFromX11(Window *window);
-    static Shadow *createShadowFromDecoration(Window *window);
-    static Shadow *createShadowFromWayland(Window *window);
-    static Shadow *createShadowFromInternalWindow(Window *window);
+    static std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadowFromX11(Window *window);
+    static std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadowFromDecoration(Window *window);
+    static std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadowFromWayland(Window *window);
+    static std::unique_ptr<Shadow> createShadowFromInternalWindow(Window *window);
     static QVector<uint32_t> readX11ShadowProperty(xcb_window_t id);
     bool init(const QVector<uint32_t> &data);
     bool init(KDecoration2::Decoration *decoration);
diff --git a/src/window.cpp b/src/window.cpp
index eba8e2af63..8907dc895c 100644
--- a/src/window.cpp
+++ b/src/window.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void Window::copyToDeleted(Window *c)
         m_effectWindow->setWindow(this);
     }
     m_windowItem = std::exchange(c->m_windowItem, nullptr);
-    m_shadow = std::exchange(c->m_shadow, nullptr);
+    m_shadow = std::move(c->m_shadow);
     if (m_shadow) {
         m_shadow->setWindow(this);
     }
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ void Window::finishCompositing(ReleaseReason releaseReason)
             item->destroyDamage();
         }
     }
-    deleteShadow();
+    m_shadow.reset();
     deleteEffectWindow();
     deleteItem();
 }
@@ -400,12 +400,6 @@ void Window::setReadyForPainting()
     }
 }
 
-void Window::deleteShadow()
-{
-    delete m_shadow;
-    m_shadow = nullptr;
-}
-
 void Window::deleteEffectWindow()
 {
     delete m_effectWindow;
@@ -448,7 +442,7 @@ bool Window::isOnOutput(Output *output) const
 
 Shadow *Window::shadow() const
 {
-    return m_shadow;
+    return m_shadow.get();
 }
 
 void Window::updateShadow()
@@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ void Window::updateShadow()
     }
     if (m_shadow) {
         if (!m_shadow->updateShadow()) {
-            deleteShadow();
+            m_shadow.reset();
         }
         Q_EMIT shadowChanged();
     } else {
diff --git a/src/window.h b/src/window.h
index 9cbe11dac2..0b103c01c7 100644
--- a/src/window.h
+++ b/src/window.h
@@ -1590,7 +1590,6 @@ protected:
     void getSkipCloseAnimation();
     void copyToDeleted(Window *c);
     void disownDataPassedToDeleted();
-    void deleteShadow();
     void deleteEffectWindow();
     void setDepth(int depth);
 
@@ -1922,7 +1921,7 @@ private:
     bool is_shape;
     EffectWindowImpl *m_effectWindow;
     WindowItem *m_windowItem = nullptr;
-    Shadow *m_shadow = nullptr;
+    std::unique_ptr<Shadow> m_shadow;
     QString resource_name;
     QString resource_class;
     ClientMachine *m_clientMachine;