diff --git a/src/crwimage.cpp b/src/crwimage.cpp
index ff217c7a..d9686ea4 100644
--- a/src/crwimage.cpp
+++ b/src/crwimage.cpp
@@ -92,10 +92,10 @@ void CrwImage::writeMetadata() {
   CrwParser::encode(blob, buf.c_data(), buf.size(), this);
 
   // Write new buffer to file
-  auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
-  tempIo->write((!blob.empty() ? &blob[0] : nullptr), blob.size());
+  MemIo tempIo;
+  tempIo.write((!blob.empty() ? &blob[0] : nullptr), blob.size());
   io_->close();
-  io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 
 }  // CrwImage::writeMetadata
 
diff --git a/src/image.cpp b/src/image.cpp
index 30c75d9c..052b8df8 100644
--- a/src/image.cpp
+++ b/src/image.cpp
@@ -791,8 +791,7 @@ Image::UniquePtr ImageFactory::open(const std::string& path, bool useCurl) {
 }
 
 Image::UniquePtr ImageFactory::open(const byte* data, size_t size) {
-  auto io = std::make_unique<MemIo>(data, size);
-  auto image = open(std::move(io));  // may throw
+  auto image = open(std::make_unique<MemIo>(data, size));  // may throw
   if (!image)
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerMemoryContainsUnknownImageType);
   return image;
@@ -826,8 +825,7 @@ Image::UniquePtr ImageFactory::create(ImageType type, const std::string& path) {
 }
 
 Image::UniquePtr ImageFactory::create(ImageType type) {
-  auto io = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
-  auto image = create(type, std::move(io));
+  auto image = create(type, std::make_unique<MemIo>());
   if (!image)
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerUnsupportedImageType, static_cast<int>(type));
   return image;
diff --git a/src/jp2image.cpp b/src/jp2image.cpp
index 189ed2ea..84ab1dbc 100644
--- a/src/jp2image.cpp
+++ b/src/jp2image.cpp
@@ -585,11 +585,11 @@ void Jp2Image::writeMetadata() {
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerDataSourceOpenFailed, io_->path(), strError());
   }
   IoCloser closer(*io_);
-  auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+  MemIo tempIo;
 
-  doWriteMetadata(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  doWriteMetadata(tempIo);  // may throw
   io_->close();
-  io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 
 }  // Jp2Image::writeMetadata
 
diff --git a/src/jpgimage.cpp b/src/jpgimage.cpp
index 2f2ef859..93947535 100644
--- a/src/jpgimage.cpp
+++ b/src/jpgimage.cpp
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ void JpegBase::printStructure(std::ostream& out, PrintStructureOption option, in
     // exiv2 -pS E.jpg
 
     // binary copy io_ to a temporary file
-    auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+    MemIo tempIo;
     for (size_t i = 0; i < (count / 2) + 1; i++) {
       size_t start = pos[2 * i] + 2;  // step JPG 2 byte marker
       if (start == 2)
@@ -709,12 +709,12 @@ void JpegBase::printStructure(std::ostream& out, PrintStructureOption option, in
         io_->seekOrThrow(start, BasicIo::beg, ErrorCode::kerFailedToReadImageData);
         DataBuf buf(length);
         io_->readOrThrow(buf.data(), buf.size(), ErrorCode::kerFailedToReadImageData);
-        tempIo->write(buf.c_data(), buf.size());
+        tempIo.write(buf.c_data(), buf.size());
       }
     }
 
     io_->seekOrThrow(0, BasicIo::beg, ErrorCode::kerFailedToReadImageData);
-    io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+    io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
     io_->seekOrThrow(0, BasicIo::beg, ErrorCode::kerFailedToReadImageData);
     readMetadata();
   }
@@ -725,11 +725,11 @@ void JpegBase::writeMetadata() {
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerDataSourceOpenFailed, io_->path(), strError());
   }
   IoCloser closer(*io_);
-  auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+  MemIo tempIo;
 
-  doWriteMetadata(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  doWriteMetadata(tempIo);  // may throw
   io_->close();
-  io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 }
 
 DataBuf JpegBase::readNextSegment(byte marker) {
diff --git a/src/pgfimage.cpp b/src/pgfimage.cpp
index 3f5049d9..c41c85b3 100644
--- a/src/pgfimage.cpp
+++ b/src/pgfimage.cpp
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ void PgfImage::writeMetadata() {
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerDataSourceOpenFailed, io_->path(), strError());
   }
   IoCloser closer(*io_);
-  auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+  MemIo tempIo;
 
-  doWriteMetadata(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  doWriteMetadata(tempIo);  // may throw
   io_->close();
-  io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 
 }  // PgfImage::writeMetadata
 
diff --git a/src/pngimage.cpp b/src/pngimage.cpp
index 0743ab9c..e8adc4b8 100644
--- a/src/pngimage.cpp
+++ b/src/pngimage.cpp
@@ -480,11 +480,11 @@ void PngImage::writeMetadata() {
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerDataSourceOpenFailed, io_->path(), strError());
   }
   IoCloser closer(*io_);
-  auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+  MemIo tempIo;
 
-  doWriteMetadata(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  doWriteMetadata(tempIo);  // may throw
   io_->close();
-  io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 
 }  // PngImage::writeMetadata
 
diff --git a/src/psdimage.cpp b/src/psdimage.cpp
index 4df8f882..4274c433 100644
--- a/src/psdimage.cpp
+++ b/src/psdimage.cpp
@@ -314,11 +314,11 @@ void PsdImage::writeMetadata() {
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerDataSourceOpenFailed, io_->path(), strError());
   }
   IoCloser closer(*io_);
-  auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+  MemIo tempIo;
 
-  doWriteMetadata(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  doWriteMetadata(tempIo);  // may throw
   io_->close();
-  io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 
 }  // PsdImage::writeMetadata
 
diff --git a/src/tiffcomposite_int.cpp b/src/tiffcomposite_int.cpp
index 841e97e2..af3d6a53 100644
--- a/src/tiffcomposite_int.cpp
+++ b/src/tiffcomposite_int.cpp
@@ -513,8 +513,7 @@ TiffComponent* TiffSubIfd::doAddPath(uint16_t tag, TiffPath& tiffPath, TiffCompo
     if (tiffPath.size() == 1 && object) {
       tc = addChild(std::move(object));
     } else {
-      auto atc = std::make_unique<TiffDirectory>(tpi1.tag(), tpi2.group());
-      tc = addChild(std::move(atc));
+      tc = addChild(std::make_unique<TiffDirectory>(tpi1.tag(), tpi2.group()));
     }
     setCount(ifds_.size());
   }
diff --git a/src/tiffimage_int.cpp b/src/tiffimage_int.cpp
index 6101f8e1..6a3224d7 100644
--- a/src/tiffimage_int.cpp
+++ b/src/tiffimage_int.cpp
@@ -1890,13 +1890,13 @@ WriteMethod TiffParserWorker::encode(BasicIo& io, const byte* pData, size_t size
     encoder.add(createdTree.get(), parsedTree.get(), root);
     // Write binary representation from the composite tree
     DataBuf header = pHeader->write();
-    auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
-    IoWrapper ioWrapper(*tempIo, header.c_data(), header.size(), pOffsetWriter);
+    auto tempIo = MemIo();
+    IoWrapper ioWrapper(tempIo, header.c_data(), header.size(), pOffsetWriter);
     auto imageIdx(uint32_t(-1));
     createdTree->write(ioWrapper, pHeader->byteOrder(), header.size(), uint32_t(-1), uint32_t(-1), imageIdx);
     if (pOffsetWriter)
-      pOffsetWriter->writeOffsets(*tempIo);
-    io.transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+      pOffsetWriter->writeOffsets(tempIo);
+    io.transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 #ifndef SUPPRESS_WARNINGS
     EXV_INFO << "Write strategy: Intrusive\n";
 #endif
diff --git a/src/webpimage.cpp b/src/webpimage.cpp
index 2018b5dc..71fdd599 100644
--- a/src/webpimage.cpp
+++ b/src/webpimage.cpp
@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@ void WebPImage::writeMetadata() {
     throw Error(ErrorCode::kerDataSourceOpenFailed, io_->path(), strError());
   }
   IoCloser closer(*io_);
-  auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+  MemIo tempIo;
 
-  doWriteMetadata(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  doWriteMetadata(tempIo);  // may throw
   io_->close();
-  io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+  io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
 }  // WebPImage::writeMetadata
 
 void WebPImage::doWriteMetadata(BasicIo& outIo) {
diff --git a/src/xmpsidecar.cpp b/src/xmpsidecar.cpp
index 38821719..3b3698d6 100644
--- a/src/xmpsidecar.cpp
+++ b/src/xmpsidecar.cpp
@@ -140,15 +140,15 @@ void XmpSidecar::writeMetadata() {
     if (xmpPacket_.substr(0, 5) != "<?xml") {
       xmpPacket_ = xmlHeader + xmpPacket_ + xmlFooter;
     }
-    auto tempIo = std::make_unique<MemIo>();
+    MemIo tempIo;
 
     // Write XMP packet
-    if (tempIo->write(reinterpret_cast<const byte*>(xmpPacket_.data()), xmpPacket_.size()) != xmpPacket_.size())
+    if (tempIo.write(reinterpret_cast<const byte*>(xmpPacket_.data()), xmpPacket_.size()) != xmpPacket_.size())
       throw Error(ErrorCode::kerImageWriteFailed);
-    if (tempIo->error())
+    if (tempIo.error())
       throw Error(ErrorCode::kerImageWriteFailed);
     io_->close();
-    io_->transfer(*tempIo);  // may throw
+    io_->transfer(tempIo);  // may throw
   }
 }  // XmpSidecar::writeMetadata