diff --git a/src/binary/mach-o.cpp b/src/binary/mach-o.cpp
index 2d1cdd3..e889cbd 100644
--- a/src/binary/mach-o.cpp
+++ b/src/binary/mach-o.cpp
@@ -642,12 +642,12 @@ namespace detail {
         return common;
     }
 
-    Result<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, internal_error> mach_o::load_string_table(std::uint32_t offset, std::uint32_t byte_count) const {
-        std::unique_ptr<char[]> buffer(new char[byte_count + 1]);
+    Result<std::vector<char>, internal_error> mach_o::load_string_table(std::uint32_t offset, std::uint32_t byte_count) const {
+        std::vector<char> buffer(byte_count + 1);
         if(std::fseek(file, load_base + offset, SEEK_SET) != 0) {
             return internal_error("fseek error while loading mach-o symbol table");
         }
-        if(std::fread(buffer.get(), sizeof(char), byte_count, file) != byte_count) {
+        if(std::fread(buffer.data(), sizeof(char), byte_count, file) != byte_count) {
             return internal_error("fread error while loading mach-o symbol table");
         }
         buffer[byte_count] = 0; // just out of an abundance of caution
diff --git a/src/binary/mach-o.hpp b/src/binary/mach-o.hpp
index fdf0df4..9f570f4 100644
--- a/src/binary/mach-o.hpp
+++ b/src/binary/mach-o.hpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ namespace detail {
 
         struct symtab_info_data {
             symtab_command symtab;
-            std::unique_ptr<char[]> stringtab;
+            std::vector<char> stringtab;
             Result<const char*, internal_error> get_string(std::size_t index) const;
         };
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ namespace detail {
         template<std::size_t Bits>
         Result<nlist_64, internal_error> load_symtab_entry(std::uint32_t symbol_base, std::size_t index) const;
 
-        Result<std::unique_ptr<char[]>, internal_error> load_string_table(std::uint32_t offset, std::uint32_t byte_count) const;
+        Result<std::vector<char>, internal_error> load_string_table(std::uint32_t offset, std::uint32_t byte_count) const;
 
         bool should_swap() const;
     };
diff --git a/src/symbols/dwarf/debug_map_resolver.cpp b/src/symbols/dwarf/debug_map_resolver.cpp
index a340335..a7bdbae 100644
--- a/src/symbols/dwarf/debug_map_resolver.cpp
+++ b/src/symbols/dwarf/debug_map_resolver.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace libdwarf {
             if(!resolver) {
                 // this seems silly but it's an attempt to not repeatedly try to initialize new dwarf_resolvers if
                 // exceptions are thrown, e.g. if the path doesn't exist
-                resolver = std::unique_ptr<null_resolver>(new null_resolver);
+                resolver = detail::make_unique<null_resolver>();
                 resolver = make_dwarf_resolver(object_path);
             }
             return resolver;
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ namespace libdwarf {
     };
 
     std::unique_ptr<symbol_resolver> make_debug_map_resolver(const std::string& object_path) {
-        return std::unique_ptr<debug_map_resolver>(new debug_map_resolver(object_path));
+        return detail::make_unique<debug_map_resolver>(object_path);
     }
     #endif
 }
diff --git a/src/symbols/dwarf/dwarf_resolver.cpp b/src/symbols/dwarf/dwarf_resolver.cpp
index f62e460..0aee279 100644
--- a/src/symbols/dwarf/dwarf_resolver.cpp
+++ b/src/symbols/dwarf/dwarf_resolver.cpp
@@ -932,12 +932,7 @@ namespace libdwarf {
                     if(it == split_full_cu_resolvers.end()) {
                         it = split_full_cu_resolvers.emplace(
                             off,
-                            std::unique_ptr<dwarf_resolver>(
-                                new dwarf_resolver(
-                                    path,
-                                    skeleton_info{cu_die.clone(), dwversion, *this}
-                                )
-                            )
+                            detail::make_unique<dwarf_resolver>(path, skeleton_info{cu_die.clone(), dwversion, *this})
                         ).first;
                     }
                     res = it->second->resolve_frame(object_frame_info);
@@ -1015,7 +1010,7 @@ namespace libdwarf {
     };
 
     std::unique_ptr<symbol_resolver> make_dwarf_resolver(const std::string& object_path) {
-        return std::unique_ptr<dwarf_resolver>(new dwarf_resolver(object_path));
+        return detail::make_unique<dwarf_resolver>(object_path);
     }
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/symbols/symbols_with_dbghelp.cpp b/src/symbols/symbols_with_dbghelp.cpp
index b691db1..22b168e 100644
--- a/src/symbols/symbols_with_dbghelp.cpp
+++ b/src/symbols/symbols_with_dbghelp.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "binary/object.hpp"
 #include "utils/common.hpp"
 #include "utils/error.hpp"
+#include "utils/utils.hpp"
 #include "options.hpp"
 
 #include <regex>
@@ -239,6 +240,9 @@ namespace dbghelp {
                     std::size_t sz = sizeof(TI_FINDCHILDREN_PARAMS) +
                                     (n_children) * sizeof(TI_FINDCHILDREN_PARAMS::ChildId[0]);
                     TI_FINDCHILDREN_PARAMS* children = (TI_FINDCHILDREN_PARAMS*) new char[sz];
+                    auto guard = scope_exit([&] {
+                        delete[] (char*) children;
+                    });
                     children->Start = 0;
                     children->Count = n_children;
                     if(
@@ -264,7 +268,6 @@ namespace dbghelp {
                         extent += (i == 0 ? "" : ", ") + resolve_type(children->ChildId[i], proc, modbase);
                     }
                     extent += ")";
-                    delete[] (char*) children;
                     return {return_type.base, extent + return_type.extent};
                 }
             }