diff --git a/include/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.hpp b/include/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.hpp
index cad5ca9c..22864cd4 100644
--- a/include/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.hpp
+++ b/include/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef MLOPTIMIZER_H
 #define MLOPTIMIZER_H
 
+#include <memory>
 #include "optimizerbase.hpp"
 
 #ifdef BUILD_ML
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ class NeuralNetworkOptimizer : public OptimizerBase
     Vector _weights;                                               /*!<  @brief quadrature weights, dim(_weights) = (_nq) */
 
     std::string _tfModelInputName;               /*!< @brief Name of the tf model input */
-    cppflow::model* _tfModel;                    /*!< @brief wrapper object for the compiled tensorflow model*/
+    std::unique_ptr<cppflow::model> _tfModel;    /*!< @brief wrapper object for the compiled tensorflow model*/
     cppflow::tensor _modelInput;                 /*!< @brief model input tensor. dims: _nCellsx_nSys*/
     std::vector<float> _modelServingVectorU;     /*!< @brief model input as a 1D vector. dims: _nCells*(_nSys-1) */
     std::vector<float> _modelServingVectorAlpha; /*!< @brief model output as a 1D vector. dims: _nCells*_nSys */
diff --git a/src/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.cpp b/src/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.cpp
index 7a4da3e6..7228c02a 100644
--- a/src/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.cpp
+++ b/src/optimizers/neuralnetworkoptimizer.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ NeuralNetworkOptimizer::NeuralNetworkOptimizer( Config* settings ) : OptimizerBa
     log->info( "| Load Tensorflow model from:\n| " + tfModelPath + "\n Tensorflow internal outputs activated below:\n" );
 
     // Load model
-    _tfModel             = new cppflow::model( tfModelPath );    // load model
+    _tfModel             = std::make_unique<cppflow::model>( tfModelPath );    // load model
     unsigned servingSize = _settings->GetNCells();
     if( _settings->GetEnforceNeuralRotationalSymmetry() ) {
         if( _settings->GetMaxMomentDegree() > 3 ) {