diff --git a/src/cpp/include/SIO/SIOReader.h b/src/cpp/include/SIO/SIOReader.h
index 91d19b34a..e8871a909 100644
--- a/src/cpp/include/SIO/SIOReader.h
+++ b/src/cpp/include/SIO/SIOReader.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define SIO_SIOREADER_H 1
 
 // -- std headers
+#include <memory>
 #include <set>
 
 // -- lcio headers
@@ -36,11 +37,15 @@ namespace SIO {
 
     /// no copy constructor
     SIOReader(const SIOReader&) = delete ;
-    /// no assignment operator
+    /// no copy assignment operator
     SIOReader& operator=(const SIOReader&) = delete ;
+    /// no move constructor
+    SIOReader(SIOReader&&) = delete ;
+    /// no move assignment operator
+    SIOReader& operator=(SIOReader&&) = delete ;
 
     /// Destructor
-    virtual ~SIOReader() ;
+    virtual ~SIOReader() = default ;
 
     /** Opens a list of files for reading (read-only). All subsequent
      * read operations will operate on the list, i.e. if an EOF is encountered
@@ -210,9 +215,9 @@ namespace SIO {
     /// The event listeners
     std::set<IO::LCEventListener*>       _evtListeners {} ;
     /// pointer to current Event
-    EVENT::LCEvent* _currentEvent = nullptr ;
+    std::unique_ptr<EVENT::LCEvent>      _currentEvent {} ;
     /// pointer to current RunHeader
-    EVENT::LCRunHeader* _currentRun = nullptr ;
+    std::unique_ptr<EVENT::LCRunHeader>  _currentRun {} ;
 
   }; // class
 } // namespace
diff --git a/src/cpp/src/SIO/SIOReader.cc b/src/cpp/src/SIO/SIOReader.cc
index 4efb792b1..c1825f9fb 100644
--- a/src/cpp/src/SIO/SIOReader.cc
+++ b/src/cpp/src/SIO/SIOReader.cc
@@ -26,12 +26,6 @@ namespace SIO {
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  SIOReader::~SIOReader() {
-    /* nop */
-  }
-
-  //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
   void SIOReader::setReadCollectionNames(const std::vector<std::string>& colnames){
     _reader.setReadCollectionNames( colnames ) ;
   }
@@ -81,13 +75,8 @@ namespace SIO {
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   EVENT::LCRunHeader* SIOReader::readNextRunHeader(int accessMode) {
-
-    if( _currentRun != nullptr ){
-      delete _currentRun ;
-    }
-    _currentRun = _reader.readNextRunHeader( accessMode ).release() ;
-
-    return _currentRun ;
+    _currentRun = _reader.readNextRunHeader( accessMode ) ;
+    return _currentRun.get() ;
   }
   
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -99,13 +88,8 @@ namespace SIO {
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   EVENT::LCEvent* SIOReader::readNextEvent(int accessMode)  {
-
-    if( _currentEvent != nullptr ){
-      delete _currentEvent ;
-    }
-    _currentEvent = _reader.readNextEvent( accessMode ).release() ;
-
-    return _currentEvent ;
+    _currentEvent = _reader.readNextEvent( accessMode ) ;
+    return _currentEvent.get() ;
   }
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -123,13 +107,8 @@ namespace SIO {
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   EVENT::LCRunHeader * SIOReader::readRunHeader(int runNumber, int accessMode) {
-
-    if( _currentRun != nullptr ){
-      delete _currentRun ;
-    }
-    _currentRun = _reader.readRunHeader( runNumber, accessMode ).release() ;
-
-    return _currentRun ;
+    _currentRun = _reader.readRunHeader( runNumber, accessMode ) ;
+    return _currentRun.get() ;
   }
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -141,13 +120,8 @@ namespace SIO {
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
   EVENT::LCEvent * SIOReader::readEvent(int runNumber, int evtNumber, int accessMode) {
-
-    if( _currentEvent != nullptr ){
-      delete _currentEvent ;
-    }
-    _currentEvent = _reader.readEvent( runNumber, evtNumber, accessMode ).release() ;
-
-    return _currentEvent ;
+    _currentEvent = _reader.readEvent( runNumber, evtNumber, accessMode ) ;
+    return _currentEvent.get() ;
   }
 
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------