diff --git a/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/hintparser.cc b/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/hintparser.cc
index 93e90e8a3..0467bbf41 100644
--- a/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/hintparser.cc
+++ b/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/hintparser.cc
@@ -307,14 +307,13 @@ HINT* HintParser::parse_one(InputIter it, InputIter end)
         {
             if ((rval = process_definition()))
             {
-                m_stack.push_back(hint_dup(rval));
+                m_stack.emplace_back(hint_dup(rval));
             }
         }
         else if (t == TOK_STOP)
         {
             if (!m_stack.empty())
             {
-                hint_free(m_stack.back());
                 m_stack.pop_back();
             }
         }
@@ -339,7 +338,7 @@ HINT* HintParser::parse_one(InputIter it, InputIter end)
                 if (hint)
                 {
                     // Preparation of a named hint
-                    m_named_hints[key] = hint_dup(hint);
+                    m_named_hints[key] = std::unique_ptr<HINT>(hint_dup(hint));
                 }
             }
             else if (t == TOK_START)
@@ -349,8 +348,8 @@ HINT* HintParser::parse_one(InputIter it, InputIter end)
                     if (m_named_hints.count(key) == 0)
                     {
                         // New hint defined, push it on to the stack
-                        m_named_hints[key] = hint_dup(rval);
-                        m_stack.push_back(hint_dup(rval));
+                        m_named_hints[key] = std::unique_ptr<HINT>(hint_dup(rval));
+                        m_stack.emplace_back(hint_dup(rval));
                     }
                 }
                 else if (next_token() == TOK_END)
@@ -360,8 +359,8 @@ HINT* HintParser::parse_one(InputIter it, InputIter end)
                     if (it != m_named_hints.end())
                     {
                         // We're starting an already define named hint
-                        m_stack.push_back(hint_dup(it->second));
-                        rval = hint_dup(it->second);
+                        m_stack.emplace_back(hint_dup(it->second.get()));
+                        rval = hint_dup(it->second.get());
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -393,25 +392,12 @@ HINT* HintParser::parse(InputIter it, InputIter end)
 
     if (!rval && !m_stack.empty())
     {
-        rval = hint_dup(m_stack.back());
+        rval = hint_dup(m_stack.back().get());
     }
 
     return rval;
 }
 
-HintParser::~HintParser()
-{
-    for (auto& a : m_named_hints)
-    {
-        hint_free(a.second);
-    }
-
-    for (auto& a : m_stack)
-    {
-        hint_free(a);
-    }
-}
-
 void HintSession::process_hints(GWBUF* buffer)
 {
     mxs::Buffer buf(buffer);
diff --git a/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/mysqlhint.hh b/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/mysqlhint.hh
index 213f5e5fa..4727b3334 100644
--- a/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/mysqlhint.hh
+++ b/server/modules/filter/hintfilter/mysqlhint.hh
@@ -16,6 +16,18 @@
 #include <maxscale/hint.h>
 #include <maxscale/filter.hh>
 
+namespace std
+{
+template<>
+struct default_delete<HINT>
+{
+    void operator()(HINT* pHint)
+    {
+        hint_free(pHint);
+    }
+};
+}
+
 class HintSession;
 
 class HintInstance : public mxs::Filter<HintInstance, HintSession>
@@ -62,8 +74,6 @@ public:
      */
     HINT* parse(InputIter begin, InputIter end);
 
-    ~HintParser();
-
 private:
 
     InputIter m_it;
@@ -71,8 +81,8 @@ private:
     InputIter m_tok_begin;
     InputIter m_tok_end;
 
-    std::vector<HINT*>                     m_stack;
-    std::unordered_map<std::string, HINT*> m_named_hints;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<HINT>>                     m_stack;
+    std::unordered_map<std::string, std::unique_ptr<HINT>> m_named_hints;
 
     TOKEN_VALUE next_token();
     HINT*       process_definition();