diff --git a/include/svl/svdde.hxx b/include/svl/svdde.hxx
index d90dbed606e7..2415ad8e03ba 100644
--- a/include/svl/svdde.hxx
+++ b/include/svl/svdde.hxx
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class SVL_DLLPUBLIC DdeConnection
     std::vector<DdeTransaction*> aTransactions;
     DdeString*      pService;
     DdeString*      pTopic;
-    DdeImp*         pImp;
+    std::unique_ptr<DdeImp> pImp;
 
 public:
                     DdeConnection( SAL_UNUSED_PARAMETER const OUString&, SAL_UNUSED_PARAMETER const OUString& );
diff --git a/svl/source/svdde/ddecli.cxx b/svl/source/svdde/ddecli.cxx
index 5707b0c40878..d97a9cdf4fe6 100644
--- a/svl/source/svdde/ddecli.cxx
+++ b/svl/source/svdde/ddecli.cxx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include <algorithm>
 #include "ddeimp.hxx"
 #include <svl/svdde.hxx>
-
+#include <o3tl/make_unique.hxx>
 #include <osl/thread.h>
 #include <comphelper/solarmutex.hxx>
 
@@ -144,9 +144,9 @@ HDDEDATA CALLBACK DdeInternal::CliCallback( UINT nCode, UINT nCbType,
     return nRet;
 }
 
-DdeConnection::DdeConnection( const OUString& rService, const OUString& rTopic )
+DdeConnection::DdeConnection( const OUString& rService, const OUString& rTopic ):
+    pImp(o3tl::make_unique<DdeImp>())
 {
-    pImp = new DdeImp;
     pImp->nStatus  = DMLERR_NO_ERROR;
     pImp->hConv    = nullptr;
 
@@ -206,7 +206,6 @@ DdeConnection::~DdeConnection()
                 ImpDeinitInstData();
         }
     }
-    delete pImp;
 }
 
 bool DdeConnection::IsConnected()
diff --git a/svl/unx/source/svdde/ddedummy.cxx b/svl/unx/source/svdde/ddedummy.cxx
index 7f032ef20446..856d79dc5db2 100644
--- a/svl/unx/source/svdde/ddedummy.cxx
+++ b/svl/unx/source/svdde/ddedummy.cxx
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ void const * DdeData::getData() const
   return nullptr;
 }
 
+struct DdeImp {};
+
 long DdeConnection::GetError()
 {
     return 0L;