diff --git a/src/classes/PRunBase.cpp b/src/classes/PRunBase.cpp
index 1c71f7c2..8773a5f8 100644
--- a/src/classes/PRunBase.cpp
+++ b/src/classes/PRunBase.cpp
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ PRunBase::PRunBase(PMsrHandler *msrInfo, PRunDataHandler *rawData, UInt_t runNo,
     fFuncValues.push_back(0.0);
 
   // generate theory
-  fTheory = new PTheory(fMsrInfo, runNo);
+  fTheory = std::make_unique<PTheory>(fMsrInfo, runNo);
   if (fTheory == nullptr) {
     std::cerr << std::endl << "**SEVERE ERROR** PRunBase::PRunBase: Couldn't create an instance of PTheory :-(, will quit" << std::endl;
     exit(0);
@@ -181,10 +181,7 @@ void PRunBase::SetFitRange(PDoublePairVector fitRange)
  */
 void PRunBase::CleanUp()
 {
-  if (fTheory) {
-    delete fTheory;
-    fTheory = nullptr;
-  }
+  fTheory.reset();
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/include/PRunBase.h b/src/include/PRunBase.h
index 6a376d8b..e9d4d8d8 100644
--- a/src/include/PRunBase.h
+++ b/src/include/PRunBase.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #define _PRUNBASE_H_
 
 #include <vector>
+#include <memory>
 
 #include <TString.h>
 
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ class PRunBase
     Double_t fFitEndTime;       ///< fit end time
 
     PDoubleVector fFuncValues;  ///< is keeping the values of the functions from the FUNCTIONS block
-    PTheory *fTheory;           ///< theory needed to calculate chi-square
+    std::unique_ptr<PTheory> fTheory; ///< theory needed to calculate chi-square
 
     PDoubleVector fKaiserFilter; ///< stores the Kaiser filter vector (needed for the RRF).