diff --git a/src/composite.cpp b/src/composite.cpp
index d2b2a0a99a..98d5b868f9 100644
--- a/src/composite.cpp
+++ b/src/composite.cpp
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ void Compositor::startupWithWorkspace()
     const QList<Output *> outputs = workspace()->outputs();
     if (kwinApp()->operationMode() == Application::OperationModeX11) {
         auto workspaceLayer = new RenderLayer(outputs.constFirst()->renderLoop());
-        workspaceLayer->setDelegate(new SceneDelegate(m_scene.get()));
+        workspaceLayer->setDelegate(std::make_unique<SceneDelegate>(m_scene.get()));
         workspaceLayer->setGeometry(workspace()->geometry());
         connect(workspace(), &Workspace::geometryChanged, workspaceLayer, [workspaceLayer]() {
             workspaceLayer->setGeometry(workspace()->geometry());
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ void Compositor::addOutput(Output *output)
     Q_ASSERT(kwinApp()->operationMode() != Application::OperationModeX11);
 
     auto workspaceLayer = new RenderLayer(output->renderLoop());
-    workspaceLayer->setDelegate(new SceneDelegate(m_scene.get(), output));
+    workspaceLayer->setDelegate(std::make_unique<SceneDelegate>(m_scene.get(), output));
     workspaceLayer->setGeometry(output->rect());
     connect(output, &Output::geometryChanged, workspaceLayer, [output, workspaceLayer]() {
         workspaceLayer->setGeometry(output->rect());
@@ -434,9 +434,9 @@ void Compositor::addOutput(Output *output)
     auto cursorLayer = new RenderLayer(output->renderLoop());
     cursorLayer->setVisible(false);
     if (m_backend->compositingType() == OpenGLCompositing) {
-        cursorLayer->setDelegate(new CursorDelegateOpenGL());
+        cursorLayer->setDelegate(std::make_unique<CursorDelegateOpenGL>());
     } else {
-        cursorLayer->setDelegate(new CursorDelegateQPainter());
+        cursorLayer->setDelegate(std::make_unique<CursorDelegateQPainter>());
     }
     cursorLayer->setParent(workspaceLayer);
     cursorLayer->setSuperlayer(workspaceLayer);
diff --git a/src/core/renderlayer.cpp b/src/core/renderlayer.cpp
index 1687c39185..06bd06a6ce 100644
--- a/src/core/renderlayer.cpp
+++ b/src/core/renderlayer.cpp
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ RenderLayerDelegate *RenderLayer::delegate() const
     return m_delegate.get();
 }
 
-void RenderLayer::setDelegate(RenderLayerDelegate *delegate)
+void RenderLayer::setDelegate(std::unique_ptr<RenderLayerDelegate> delegate)
 {
-    m_delegate.reset(delegate);
+    m_delegate = std::move(delegate);
     m_delegate->setLayer(this);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/renderlayer.h b/src/core/renderlayer.h
index 865dbd2c8e..c3ec33c8db 100644
--- a/src/core/renderlayer.h
+++ b/src/core/renderlayer.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
 
     RenderLoop *loop() const;
     RenderLayerDelegate *delegate() const;
-    void setDelegate(RenderLayerDelegate *delegate);
+    void setDelegate(std::unique_ptr<RenderLayerDelegate> delegate);
 
     QList<RenderLayer *> sublayers() const;
     RenderLayer *superlayer() const;
diff --git a/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.cpp b/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.cpp
index c3a1d2d0a8..c7d06e9df3 100644
--- a/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.cpp
+++ b/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.cpp
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@
 namespace KWin
 {
 
-RenderLayerDelegate::RenderLayerDelegate(QObject *parent)
-    : QObject(parent)
-{
-}
-
 RenderLayer *RenderLayerDelegate::layer() const
 {
     return m_layer;
diff --git a/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.h b/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.h
index ec1e39b6e0..e726c4f123 100644
--- a/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.h
+++ b/src/core/renderlayerdelegate.h
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 
 #include "kwin_export.h"
 
-#include <QObject>
 #include <QRegion>
 
 namespace KWin
@@ -21,12 +20,10 @@ class SurfaceItem;
 /**
  * The RenderLayerDelegate class represents a render layer's contents.
  */
-class KWIN_EXPORT RenderLayerDelegate : public QObject
+class KWIN_EXPORT RenderLayerDelegate
 {
-    Q_OBJECT
-
 public:
-    explicit RenderLayerDelegate(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    virtual ~RenderLayerDelegate() = default;
 
     RenderLayer *layer() const;
     void setLayer(RenderLayer *layer);
diff --git a/src/cursordelegate_opengl.cpp b/src/cursordelegate_opengl.cpp
index 09e4052d57..f75c4c2d6f 100644
--- a/src/cursordelegate_opengl.cpp
+++ b/src/cursordelegate_opengl.cpp
@@ -14,11 +14,6 @@
 namespace KWin
 {
 
-CursorDelegateOpenGL::CursorDelegateOpenGL(QObject *parent)
-    : RenderLayerDelegate(parent)
-{
-}
-
 CursorDelegateOpenGL::~CursorDelegateOpenGL()
 {
 }
diff --git a/src/cursordelegate_opengl.h b/src/cursordelegate_opengl.h
index f543330e2d..6da31007fa 100644
--- a/src/cursordelegate_opengl.h
+++ b/src/cursordelegate_opengl.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 */
 
 #pragma once
+#include <QObject>
 #include <memory>
 
 #include "core/renderlayerdelegate.h"
@@ -14,12 +15,11 @@ namespace KWin
 
 class GLTexture;
 
-class CursorDelegateOpenGL final : public RenderLayerDelegate
+class CursorDelegateOpenGL final : public QObject, public RenderLayerDelegate
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    explicit CursorDelegateOpenGL(QObject *parent = nullptr);
     ~CursorDelegateOpenGL() override;
 
     void paint(RenderTarget *renderTarget, const QRegion &region) override;
diff --git a/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.cpp b/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.cpp
index 2aa94a5bb9..674744a21e 100644
--- a/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.cpp
+++ b/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.cpp
@@ -14,11 +14,6 @@
 namespace KWin
 {
 
-CursorDelegateQPainter::CursorDelegateQPainter(QObject *parent)
-    : RenderLayerDelegate(parent)
-{
-}
-
 void CursorDelegateQPainter::paint(RenderTarget *renderTarget, const QRegion &region)
 {
     if (!region.intersects(layer()->mapToGlobal(layer()->rect()))) {
diff --git a/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.h b/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.h
index 376448b96a..80d29f5489 100644
--- a/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.h
+++ b/src/cursordelegate_qpainter.h
@@ -13,11 +13,7 @@ namespace KWin
 
 class CursorDelegateQPainter final : public RenderLayerDelegate
 {
-    Q_OBJECT
-
 public:
-    explicit CursorDelegateQPainter(QObject *parent = nullptr);
-
     void paint(RenderTarget *renderTarget, const QRegion &region) override;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/scene/scene.cpp b/src/scene/scene.cpp
index 4a9e9a726c..eb1d495c86 100644
--- a/src/scene/scene.cpp
+++ b/src/scene/scene.cpp
@@ -79,16 +79,14 @@
 namespace KWin
 {
 
-SceneDelegate::SceneDelegate(Scene *scene, QObject *parent)
-    : RenderLayerDelegate(parent)
-    , m_scene(scene)
+SceneDelegate::SceneDelegate(Scene *scene)
+    : m_scene(scene)
 {
     m_scene->addDelegate(this);
 }
 
-SceneDelegate::SceneDelegate(Scene *scene, Output *output, QObject *parent)
-    : RenderLayerDelegate(parent)
-    , m_scene(scene)
+SceneDelegate::SceneDelegate(Scene *scene, Output *output)
+    : m_scene(scene)
     , m_output(output)
 {
     m_scene->addDelegate(this);
diff --git a/src/scene/scene.h b/src/scene/scene.h
index 6deefd6c27..00ae48a0f0 100644
--- a/src/scene/scene.h
+++ b/src/scene/scene.h
@@ -44,11 +44,9 @@ class WindowItem;
 
 class SceneDelegate : public RenderLayerDelegate
 {
-    Q_OBJECT
-
 public:
-    explicit SceneDelegate(Scene *scene, QObject *parent = nullptr);
-    explicit SceneDelegate(Scene *scene, Output *output, QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    explicit SceneDelegate(Scene *scene);
+    explicit SceneDelegate(Scene *scene, Output *output);
     ~SceneDelegate() override;
 
     Output *output() const;