diff --git a/src/wayland/subcompositor.cpp b/src/wayland/subcompositor.cpp
index 6939eb0278..6d2e867717 100644
--- a/src/wayland/subcompositor.cpp
+++ b/src/wayland/subcompositor.cpp
@@ -195,8 +195,7 @@ SubSurfaceInterface::~SubSurfaceInterface()
     if (d->surface) {
         SurfaceInterfacePrivate *surfacePrivate = SurfaceInterfacePrivate::get(d->surface);
         surfacePrivate->subsurface.handle = nullptr;
-        delete surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction;
-        surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction = nullptr;
+        surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction.reset();
     }
 }
 
@@ -264,7 +263,7 @@ void SubSurfaceInterface::parentDesynchronized()
     auto surfacePrivate = SurfaceInterfacePrivate::get(d->surface);
     if (surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction) {
         surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction->commit();
-        surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction = nullptr;
+        surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction.release();
     }
 
     const auto below = d->surface->below();
diff --git a/src/wayland/surface.cpp b/src/wayland/surface.cpp
index 3b632742a8..bffba92067 100644
--- a/src/wayland/surface.cpp
+++ b/src/wayland/surface.cpp
@@ -344,9 +344,9 @@ void SurfaceInterfacePrivate::surface_commit(Resource *resource)
     Transaction *transaction;
     if (sync) {
         if (!subsurface.transaction) {
-            subsurface.transaction = new Transaction();
+            subsurface.transaction = std::make_unique<Transaction>();
         }
-        transaction = subsurface.transaction;
+        transaction = subsurface.transaction.get();
     } else {
         transaction = new Transaction();
     }
@@ -354,17 +354,15 @@ void SurfaceInterfacePrivate::surface_commit(Resource *resource)
     for (SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : std::as_const(pending->subsurface.below)) {
         auto surfacePrivate = SurfaceInterfacePrivate::get(subsurface->surface());
         if (surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction) {
-            transaction->merge(surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction);
-            delete surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction;
-            surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction = nullptr;
+            transaction->merge(surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction.get());
+            surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction.reset();
         }
     }
     for (SubSurfaceInterface *subsurface : std::as_const(pending->subsurface.above)) {
         auto surfacePrivate = SurfaceInterfacePrivate::get(subsurface->surface());
         if (surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction) {
-            transaction->merge(surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction);
-            delete surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction;
-            surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction = nullptr;
+            transaction->merge(surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction.get());
+            surfacePrivate->subsurface.transaction.reset();
         }
     }
 
@@ -423,8 +421,6 @@ SurfaceInterface::SurfaceInterface(CompositorInterface *compositor, wl_resource
 
 SurfaceInterface::~SurfaceInterface()
 {
-    delete d->subsurface.transaction;
-    d->subsurface.transaction = nullptr;
 }
 
 SurfaceRole *SurfaceInterface::role() const
diff --git a/src/wayland/surface_p.h b/src/wayland/surface_p.h
index bbfe73431c..8acf1ccaa7 100644
--- a/src/wayland/surface_p.h
+++ b/src/wayland/surface_p.h
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ public:
     struct
     {
         SubSurfaceInterface *handle = nullptr;
-        Transaction *transaction = nullptr;
+        std::unique_ptr<Transaction> transaction;
     } subsurface;
 
     std::vector<std::unique_ptr<PresentationTimeFeedback>> pendingPresentationFeedbacks;