diff --git a/forms/source/component/imgprod.cxx b/forms/source/component/imgprod.cxx
index 51961d86682d..c1b72d90daed 100644
--- a/forms/source/component/imgprod.cxx
+++ b/forms/source/component/imgprod.cxx
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ void ImageProducer::SetImage( const OUString& rPath )
 
     if ( ::svt::GraphicAccess::isSupportedURL( maURL ) )
     {
-        mpStm.reset( ::svt::GraphicAccess::getImageStream( ::comphelper::getProcessComponentContext(), maURL ) );
+        mpStm = ::svt::GraphicAccess::getImageStream( ::comphelper::getProcessComponentContext(), maURL );
     }
     else if( !maURL.isEmpty() )
     {
diff --git a/include/svtools/imageresourceaccess.hxx b/include/svtools/imageresourceaccess.hxx
index 65806566936d..6adff39ae4aa 100644
--- a/include/svtools/imageresourceaccess.hxx
+++ b/include/svtools/imageresourceaccess.hxx
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ SVT_DLLPUBLIC bool isSupportedURL(OUString const & rURL);
     the image must be copied), so you are strongly encouraged to only use it
     when you know that the image is small enough.
 */
-SVT_DLLPUBLIC SvStream* getImageStream(
+SVT_DLLPUBLIC std::unique_ptr<SvStream> getImageStream(
             css::uno::Reference<css::uno::XComponentContext> const & rxContext,
             OUString const & rImageResourceURL);
 
diff --git a/svtools/source/misc/imageresourceaccess.cxx b/svtools/source/misc/imageresourceaccess.cxx
index b8a27dd7a802..829ffdb5feb5 100644
--- a/svtools/source/misc/imageresourceaccess.cxx
+++ b/svtools/source/misc/imageresourceaccess.cxx
@@ -111,9 +111,9 @@ bool isSupportedURL(OUString const & rURL)
         || rURL.startsWith("vnd.sun.star.extension://");
 }
 
-SvStream* getImageStream(uno::Reference<uno::XComponentContext> const & rxContext, OUString const & rImageResourceURL)
+std::unique_ptr<SvStream> getImageStream(uno::Reference<uno::XComponentContext> const & rxContext, OUString const & rImageResourceURL)
 {
-    SvStream* pReturn = nullptr;
+    std::unique_ptr<SvMemoryStream> pMemBuffer;
 
     try
     {
@@ -128,10 +128,10 @@ SvStream* getImageStream(uno::Reference<uno::XComponentContext> const & rxContex
 
         OSL_ENSURE(xGraphic.is(), "GraphicAccess::getImageStream: the provider did not give us a graphic object!");
         if (!xGraphic.is())
-            return pReturn;
+            return pMemBuffer;
 
         // copy the graphic to an in-memory buffer
-        SvMemoryStream* pMemBuffer = new SvMemoryStream;
+        pMemBuffer.reset(new SvMemoryStream);
         uno::Reference<io::XStream> xBufferAccess = new StreamSupplier(
             new OSeekableInputStreamWrapper(*pMemBuffer),
             new OSeekableOutputStreamWrapper(*pMemBuffer));
@@ -144,19 +144,19 @@ SvStream* getImageStream(uno::Reference<uno::XComponentContext> const & rxContex
         xProvider->storeGraphic(xGraphic, aMediaProperties);
 
         pMemBuffer->Seek(0);
-        pReturn = pMemBuffer;
     }
     catch (const uno::Exception&)
     {
         OSL_FAIL("GraphicAccess::getImageStream: caught an exception!");
+        pMemBuffer.reset();
     }
 
-    return pReturn;
+    return pMemBuffer;
 }
 
 uno::Reference<io::XInputStream> getImageXStream(uno::Reference<uno::XComponentContext> const & rxContext, OUString const & rImageResourceURL)
 {
-    return new OSeekableInputStreamWrapper(getImageStream(rxContext, rImageResourceURL), true);   // take ownership
+    return new OSeekableInputStreamWrapper(getImageStream(rxContext, rImageResourceURL).release(), true);   // take ownership
 }
 
 } // namespace GraphicAccess