diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp
index 17b39036747..984619668d6 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp
@@ -435,8 +435,8 @@ QCoreApplicationPrivate::QCoreApplicationPrivate(int &aargc, char **aargv)
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
     if (!isArgvModified(argc, argv)) {
         origArgc = argc;
-        origArgv = new char *[argc];
-        std::copy(argv, argv + argc, QT_MAKE_CHECKED_ARRAY_ITERATOR(origArgv, argc));
+        origArgv = q20::make_unique_for_overwrite<char *[]>(argc);
+        std::copy(argv, argv + argc, origArgv.get());
     }
 #endif // Q_OS_WIN
 
@@ -460,7 +460,6 @@ QCoreApplicationPrivate::~QCoreApplicationPrivate()
     cleanupThreadData();
 #endif
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
-    delete [] origArgv;
     cleanupDebuggingConsole();
 #endif
     QCoreApplicationPrivate::clearApplicationFilePath();
diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h
index dce8cee1cc6..3d9beaa9bed 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h
@@ -127,8 +127,10 @@ public:
     int &argc;
     char **argv;
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
+    // store unmodified arguments for QCoreApplication::arguments()
     int origArgc = 0;
-    char **origArgv = nullptr; // store unmodified arguments for QCoreApplication::arguments()
+    std::unique_ptr<char *[]> origArgv;
+
     bool consoleAllocated = false;
 #endif
     void appendApplicationPathToLibraryPaths(void);