diff --git a/src/backends/x11/standalone/eglbackend.cpp b/src/backends/x11/standalone/eglbackend.cpp
index b9697017f4..ce9d18bc95 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/standalone/eglbackend.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/x11/standalone/eglbackend.cpp
@@ -215,11 +215,13 @@ EglSurfaceTextureX11::EglSurfaceTextureX11(EglBackend *backend, SurfacePixmapX11
 
 bool EglSurfaceTextureX11::create()
 {
-    auto texture = new EglPixmapTexture(static_cast<EglBackend *>(m_backend));
+    auto texture = std::make_unique<EglPixmapTexture>(static_cast<EglBackend *>(m_backend));
     if (texture->create(m_pixmap)) {
-        m_texture.reset(texture);
+        m_texture = std::move(texture);
+        return true;
+    } else {
+        return false;
     }
-    return !m_texture.isNull();
 }
 
 void EglSurfaceTextureX11::update(const QRegion &region)
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/standalone/glxbackend.cpp b/src/backends/x11/standalone/glxbackend.cpp
index f4555c8584..156cdf15c0 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/standalone/glxbackend.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/x11/standalone/glxbackend.cpp
@@ -872,11 +872,13 @@ GlxSurfaceTextureX11::GlxSurfaceTextureX11(GlxBackend *backend, SurfacePixmapX11
 
 bool GlxSurfaceTextureX11::create()
 {
-    auto texture = new GlxPixmapTexture(static_cast<GlxBackend *>(m_backend));
+    auto texture = std::make_unique<GlxPixmapTexture>(static_cast<GlxBackend *>(m_backend));
     if (texture->create(m_pixmap)) {
-        m_texture.reset(texture);
+        m_texture = std::move(texture);
+        return true;
+    } else {
+        return false;
     }
-    return !m_texture.isNull();
 }
 
 void GlxSurfaceTextureX11::update(const QRegion &region)
diff --git a/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.cpp b/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.cpp
index 07a71ec576..2d406a040b 100644
--- a/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.cpp
+++ b/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ OpenGLSurfaceTexture::~OpenGLSurfaceTexture()
 
 bool OpenGLSurfaceTexture::isValid() const
 {
-    return !m_texture.isNull();
+    return m_texture != nullptr;
 }
 
 OpenGLBackend *OpenGLSurfaceTexture::backend() const
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ OpenGLBackend *OpenGLSurfaceTexture::backend() const
 
 GLTexture *OpenGLSurfaceTexture::texture() const
 {
-    return m_texture.data();
+    return m_texture.get();
 }
 
 } // namespace KWin
diff --git a/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.h b/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.h
index 9ee7a8d9ce..a0e4a69573 100644
--- a/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.h
+++ b/src/platformsupport/scenes/opengl/openglsurfacetexture.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     OpenGLBackend *m_backend;
-    QScopedPointer<GLTexture> m_texture;
+    std::unique_ptr<GLTexture> m_texture;
 };
 
 } // namespace KWin
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem.cpp b/src/surfaceitem.cpp
index def9720e6b..117ff9ac57 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem.cpp
+++ b/src/surfaceitem.cpp
@@ -59,17 +59,17 @@ QRegion SurfaceItem::damage() const
 SurfacePixmap *SurfaceItem::pixmap() const
 {
     if (m_pixmap && m_pixmap->isValid()) {
-        return m_pixmap.data();
+        return m_pixmap.get();
     }
     if (m_previousPixmap && m_previousPixmap->isValid()) {
-        return m_previousPixmap.data();
+        return m_previousPixmap.get();
     }
     return nullptr;
 }
 
 SurfacePixmap *SurfaceItem::previousPixmap() const
 {
-    return m_previousPixmap.data();
+    return m_previousPixmap.get();
 }
 
 void SurfaceItem::referencePreviousPixmap()
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ void SurfaceItem::unreferencePreviousPixmap()
 
 void SurfaceItem::updatePixmap()
 {
-    if (m_pixmap.isNull()) {
-        m_pixmap.reset(createPixmap());
+    if (!m_pixmap) {
+        m_pixmap = createPixmap();
     }
     if (m_pixmap->isValid()) {
         m_pixmap->update();
@@ -108,9 +108,9 @@ void SurfaceItem::updatePixmap()
 
 void SurfaceItem::discardPixmap()
 {
-    if (!m_pixmap.isNull()) {
+    if (m_pixmap) {
         if (m_pixmap->isValid()) {
-            m_previousPixmap.reset(m_pixmap.take());
+            m_previousPixmap = std::move(m_pixmap);
             m_previousPixmap->markAsDiscarded();
             referencePreviousPixmap();
         } else {
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem.h b/src/surfaceitem.h
index 61401e122f..effb1545ea 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem.h
+++ b/src/surfaceitem.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public:
 protected:
     explicit SurfaceItem(Window *window, Item *parent = nullptr);
 
-    virtual SurfacePixmap *createPixmap() = 0;
+    virtual std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> createPixmap() = 0;
     void preprocess() override;
     WindowQuadList buildQuads() const override;
 
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ protected:
 
     Window *m_window;
     QRegion m_damage;
-    QScopedPointer<SurfacePixmap> m_pixmap;
-    QScopedPointer<SurfacePixmap> m_previousPixmap;
+    std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> m_pixmap;
+    std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> m_previousPixmap;
     QMatrix4x4 m_surfaceToBufferMatrix;
     int m_referencePixmapCounter = 0;
 };
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem_internal.cpp b/src/surfaceitem_internal.cpp
index 704122279f..8a1dd4c83d 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem_internal.cpp
+++ b/src/surfaceitem_internal.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ QRegion SurfaceItemInternal::shape() const
     return QRegion(rect());
 }
 
-SurfacePixmap *SurfaceItemInternal::createPixmap()
+std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> SurfaceItemInternal::createPixmap()
 {
-    return new SurfacePixmapInternal(this);
+    return std::make_unique<SurfacePixmapInternal>(this);
 }
 
 void SurfaceItemInternal::handleBufferGeometryChanged(Window *window, const QRect &old)
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem_internal.h b/src/surfaceitem_internal.h
index dfe8289353..5bcc19f543 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem_internal.h
+++ b/src/surfaceitem_internal.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
     void handleBufferGeometryChanged(Window *window, const QRect &old);
 
 protected:
-    SurfacePixmap *createPixmap() override;
+    std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> createPixmap() override;
 };
 
 class KWIN_EXPORT SurfacePixmapInternal final : public SurfacePixmap
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp b/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp
index d24c25373e..59c9581044 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp
+++ b/src/surfaceitem_wayland.cpp
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ void SurfaceItemWayland::handleSubSurfaceMappedChanged()
     setVisible(m_surface->isMapped());
 }
 
-SurfacePixmap *SurfaceItemWayland::createPixmap()
+std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> SurfaceItemWayland::createPixmap()
 {
-    return new SurfacePixmapWayland(this);
+    return std::make_unique<SurfacePixmapWayland>(this);
 }
 
 SurfacePixmapWayland::SurfacePixmapWayland(SurfaceItemWayland *item, QObject *parent)
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem_wayland.h b/src/surfaceitem_wayland.h
index 2e4caae256..4b0f157daf 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem_wayland.h
+++ b/src/surfaceitem_wayland.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
     void handleSubSurfaceMappedChanged();
 
 protected:
-    SurfacePixmap *createPixmap() override;
+    std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> createPixmap() override;
 
 private:
     SurfaceItemWayland *getOrCreateSubSurfaceItem(KWaylandServer::SubSurfaceInterface *s);
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem_x11.cpp b/src/surfaceitem_x11.cpp
index 6c5e106856..501736b18d 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem_x11.cpp
+++ b/src/surfaceitem_x11.cpp
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ QRegion SurfaceItemX11::opaque() const
     }
 }
 
-SurfacePixmap *SurfaceItemX11::createPixmap()
+std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> SurfaceItemX11::createPixmap()
 {
-    return new SurfacePixmapX11(this);
+    return std::make_unique<SurfacePixmapX11>(this);
 }
 
 SurfacePixmapX11::SurfacePixmapX11(SurfaceItemX11 *item, QObject *parent)
diff --git a/src/surfaceitem_x11.h b/src/surfaceitem_x11.h
index 55cfc23dfc..a652bddabd 100644
--- a/src/surfaceitem_x11.h
+++ b/src/surfaceitem_x11.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
     void handleGeometryShapeChanged();
 
 protected:
-    SurfacePixmap *createPixmap() override;
+    std::unique_ptr<SurfacePixmap> createPixmap() override;
 
 private:
     xcb_damage_damage_t m_damageHandle = XCB_NONE;