diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp
index 48d1a609fc..e7ae5b74c5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp
@@ -247,12 +247,13 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         auto model = std::make_unique<InventoryItemModel>(MWMechanics::getPlayer());
         mModel = model.get();
-        mSortModel = new SortFilterItemModel(std::move(model));
+        auto sortModel = std::make_unique<SortFilterItemModel>(std::move(model));
+        mSortModel = sortModel.get();
         mSortModel->setFilter(SortFilterItemModel::Filter_OnlyIngredients);
-        mItemView->setModel (mSortModel);
+        mItemView->setModel(std::move(sortModel));
         mItemView->resetScrollBars();
 
-        mNameEdit->setCaption("");
+        mNameEdit->setCaption({});
         mBrewCountEdit->setValue(1);
 
         int index = 0;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.cpp
index a8e545f8fd..99ed2d995c 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/companionwindow.cpp
@@ -125,9 +125,10 @@ void CompanionWindow::setPtr(const MWWorld::Ptr& npc)
     updateEncumbranceBar();
     auto model = std::make_unique<CompanionItemModel>(npc);
     mModel = model.get();
-    mSortModel = new SortFilterItemModel(std::move(model));
-    mFilterEdit->setCaption(std::string());
-    mItemView->setModel(mSortModel);
+    auto sortModel = std::make_unique<SortFilterItemModel>(std::move(model));
+    mSortModel = sortModel.get();
+    mFilterEdit->setCaption({});
+    mItemView->setModel(std::move(sortModel));
     mItemView->resetScrollBars();
 
     setTitle(npc.getClass().getName(npc));
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp
index 4f48f70636..ad23af4711 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/container.cpp
@@ -148,9 +148,10 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         mDisposeCorpseButton->setVisible(loot);
         mModel = model.get();
-        mSortModel = new SortFilterItemModel(std::move(model));
+        auto sortModel = std::make_unique<SortFilterItemModel>(std::move(model));
+        mSortModel = sortModel.get();
 
-        mItemView->setModel (mSortModel);
+        mItemView->setModel(std::move(sortModel));
         mItemView->resetScrollBars();
 
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWindowManager()->setKeyFocusWidget(mCloseButton);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp
index 297bfb04b1..8a3a72d2b0 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/inventorywindow.cpp
@@ -128,12 +128,14 @@ namespace MWGui
         if (mSortModel) // reuse existing SortModel when possible to keep previous category/filter settings
             mSortModel->setSourceModel(std::move(tradeModel));
         else
-            mSortModel = new SortFilterItemModel(std::move(tradeModel));
+        {
+            auto sortModel = std::make_unique<SortFilterItemModel>(std::move(tradeModel));
+            mSortModel = sortModel.get();
+            mItemView->setModel(std::move(sortModel));
+        }
 
         mSortModel->setNameFilter(mFilterEdit->getCaption());
 
-        mItemView->setModel(mSortModel);
-
         mFilterAll->setStateSelected(true);
         mFilterWeapon->setStateSelected(false);
         mFilterApparel->setStateSelected(false);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemselection.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemselection.cpp
index 4674e9bf5e..1a34f5d623 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemselection.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemselection.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ namespace MWGui
 
     void ItemSelectionDialog::openContainer(const MWWorld::Ptr& container)
     {
-        mSortModel = new SortFilterItemModel(std::make_unique<InventoryItemModel>(container));
-        mItemView->setModel(mSortModel);
+        auto sortModel = std::make_unique<SortFilterItemModel>(std::make_unique<InventoryItemModel>(container));
+        mSortModel = sortModel.get();
+        mItemView->setModel(std::move(sortModel));
         mItemView->resetScrollBars();
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.cpp
index 14f2c1dd9b..ba12d622c5 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.cpp
@@ -16,23 +16,13 @@ namespace MWGui
 {
 
 ItemView::ItemView()
-    : mModel(nullptr)
-    , mScrollView(nullptr)
+    : mScrollView(nullptr)
 {
 }
 
-ItemView::~ItemView()
+void ItemView::setModel(std::unique_ptr<ItemModel> model)
 {
-    delete mModel;
-}
-
-void ItemView::setModel(ItemModel *model)
-{
-    if (mModel == model)
-        return;
-
-    delete mModel;
-    mModel = model;
+    mModel = std::move(model);
 
     update();
 }
@@ -114,7 +104,7 @@ void ItemView::update()
         ItemWidget* itemWidget = dragArea->createWidget<ItemWidget>("MW_ItemIcon",
             MyGUI::IntCoord(0, 0, 42, 42), MyGUI::Align::Default);
         itemWidget->setUserString("ToolTipType", "ItemModelIndex");
-        itemWidget->setUserData(std::make_pair(i, mModel));
+        itemWidget->setUserData(std::make_pair(i, mModel.get()));
         ItemWidget::ItemState state = ItemWidget::None;
         if (item.mType == ItemStack::Type_Barter)
             state = ItemWidget::Barter;
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.hpp
index 4074e55e48..e2f882e618 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/itemview.hpp
@@ -13,13 +13,12 @@ namespace MWGui
     MYGUI_RTTI_DERIVED(ItemView)
     public:
         ItemView();
-        ~ItemView() override;
 
         /// Register needed components with MyGUI's factory manager
         static void registerComponents ();
 
         /// Takes ownership of \a model
-        void setModel (ItemModel* model);
+        void setModel(std::unique_ptr<ItemModel> model);
 
         typedef MyGUI::delegates::CMultiDelegate1<ItemModel::ModelIndex> EventHandle_ModelIndex;
         typedef MyGUI::delegates::CMultiDelegate0 EventHandle_Void;
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ namespace MWGui
         void onSelectedBackground (MyGUI::Widget* sender);
         void onMouseWheelMoved(MyGUI::Widget* _sender, int _rel);
 
-        ItemModel* mModel;
+        std::unique_ptr<ItemModel> mModel;
         MyGUI::ScrollView* mScrollView;
 
     };
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp
index 5832bab830..3abe10a6fb 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/tradewindow.cpp
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ namespace MWGui
 
         auto tradeModel = std::make_unique<TradeItemModel>(std::make_unique<ContainerItemModel>(itemSources, worldItems), mPtr);
         mTradeModel = tradeModel.get();
-        mSortModel = new SortFilterItemModel(std::move(tradeModel));
-        mItemView->setModel (mSortModel);
+        auto sortModel = std::make_unique<SortFilterItemModel>(std::move(tradeModel));
+        mSortModel = sortModel.get();
+        mItemView->setModel(std::move(sortModel));
         mItemView->resetScrollBars();
 
         updateLabels();