diff --git a/srsue/hdr/stack/ue_stack_lte.h b/srsue/hdr/stack/ue_stack_lte.h
index 2715d7e22..8d99e552b 100644
--- a/srsue/hdr/stack/ue_stack_lte.h
+++ b/srsue/hdr/stack/ue_stack_lte.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ private:
   srsue::rrc        rrc;
   srsue::nas        nas;
   srsue::gw         gw;
-  srsue::usim_base* usim;
+  std::unique_ptr<usim_base> usim;
 
   srslte::logger* logger;
 
diff --git a/srsue/hdr/stack/upper/usim_base.h b/srsue/hdr/stack/upper/usim_base.h
index 5f2b3714e..378d35720 100644
--- a/srsue/hdr/stack/upper/usim_base.h
+++ b/srsue/hdr/stack/upper/usim_base.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class usim_base
 public:
   usim_base();
   virtual ~usim_base();
-  static usim_base* get_instance(usim_args_t* args);
+  static std::unique_ptr<usim_base> get_instance(usim_args_t* args);
 
   virtual int init(usim_args_t *args, srslte::log *usim_log_) = 0;
   virtual void stop() = 0;
diff --git a/srsue/src/stack/ue_stack_lte.cc b/srsue/src/stack/ue_stack_lte.cc
index 3ed7a8155..880e7054f 100644
--- a/srsue/src/stack/ue_stack_lte.cc
+++ b/srsue/src/stack/ue_stack_lte.cc
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ int ue_stack_lte::init(const stack_args_t& args_, srslte::logger* logger_)
   mac.init(phy, &rlc, &rrc, &mac_log);
   rlc.init(&pdcp, &rrc, NULL, &rlc_log, &mac, 0 /* RB_ID_SRB0 */);
   pdcp.init(&rlc, &rrc, &gw, &pdcp_log, 0 /* RB_ID_SRB0 */, SECURITY_DIRECTION_UPLINK);
-  nas.init(usim, &rrc, &gw, &nas_log, args.nas);
+  nas.init(usim.get(), &rrc, &gw, &nas_log, args.nas);
   gw.init(&pdcp, &nas, &gw_log, args.gw);
-  rrc.init(phy, &mac, &rlc, &pdcp, &nas, usim, &gw, &mac, &rrc_log, args.rrc);
+  rrc.init(phy, &mac, &rlc, &pdcp, &nas, usim.get(), &gw, &mac, &rrc_log, args.rrc);
 
   running = true;
 
diff --git a/srsue/src/stack/upper/usim_base.cc b/srsue/src/stack/upper/usim_base.cc
index a656ec1f0..064bf44e5 100644
--- a/srsue/src/stack/upper/usim_base.cc
+++ b/srsue/src/stack/upper/usim_base.cc
@@ -28,22 +28,16 @@
 
 namespace srsue {
 
-usim_base* usim_base::get_instance(usim_args_t* args)
+std::unique_ptr<usim_base> usim_base::get_instance(usim_args_t* args)
 {
-  usim_base* instance = NULL;
-  if (args->mode == "soft") {
-    instance = new usim();
-  }
 #if HAVE_PCSC
-  else if (args->mode == "pcsc") {
-    instance = new pcsc_usim();
+  if (args->mode == "pcsc") {
+    return std::unique_ptr<usim_base>(new pcsc_usim());
   }
 #endif
-  else {
-    // default to soft USIM
-    instance = new usim();
-  }
-  return(instance);
+
+  // default to soft USIM
+  return std::unique_ptr<usim_base>(new usim());
 }
 
 usim_base::usim_base() {