diff --git a/drill.cpp b/drill.cpp
index ba9923cc6..c06a6e58c 100644
--- a/drill.cpp
+++ b/drill.cpp
@@ -120,16 +120,6 @@ ExcellonProcessor::ExcellonProcessor(const boost::program_options::variables_map
     tiling = std::make_unique<Tiling>(tileInfo, cfactor, ocodes.getUniqueCode());
 }
 
-/******************************************************************************/
-/*
- Destructor
- */
-/******************************************************************************/
-ExcellonProcessor::~ExcellonProcessor()
-{
-    gerbv_destroy_project(project);
-}
-
 /******************************************************************************/
 /*
  */
@@ -697,12 +687,12 @@ void ExcellonProcessor::save_svg(
     }
 }
 
-gerbv_project_t* ExcellonProcessor::parse_project(const string& filename) {
-  gerbv_project_t* project = gerbv_create_project();
+std::unique_ptr<gerbv_project_t, ExcellonProcessor::GerbvDeleter> ExcellonProcessor::parse_project(const string& filename) {
+  auto project = std::unique_ptr<gerbv_project_t, GerbvDeleter>(gerbv_create_project());
   auto gerb_filename = std::make_unique<char[]>(filename.size() + 1);
   strcpy(gerb_filename.get(), filename.c_str());
 
-  gerbv_open_layer_from_filename(project, gerb_filename.get());
+  gerbv_open_layer_from_filename(project.get(), gerb_filename.get());
 
   if (project->file[0] == NULL) {
     throw drill_exception();
diff --git a/drill.hpp b/drill.hpp
index afebf2bdd..042361373 100644
--- a/drill.hpp
+++ b/drill.hpp
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ class ExcellonProcessor
 public:
     ExcellonProcessor(const boost::program_options::variables_map& options,
                       const point_type_fp min, const point_type_fp max);
-    ~ExcellonProcessor();
     void add_header(std::string);
     void set_preamble(std::string);
     void set_postamble(std::string);
@@ -93,7 +92,10 @@ class ExcellonProcessor
     std::shared_ptr< std::map<int, multi_linestring_type_fp> > get_holes();
 
 private:
-  gerbv_project_t* parse_project(const std::string& filename);
+  struct GerbvDeleter {
+    void operator()(gerbv_project_t* p) { gerbv_destroy_project(p); }
+  };
+  std::unique_ptr<gerbv_project_t, GerbvDeleter> parse_project(const std::string& filename);
   std::map<int, drillbit> parse_bits();
   std::map<int, multi_linestring_type_fp> parse_holes();
 
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ class ExcellonProcessor
     const box_type_fp board_dimensions;
     const coordinate_type_fp board_center_x;
 
-    gerbv_project_t * const project;
+    std::unique_ptr<gerbv_project_t, GerbvDeleter> const project;
     const bool bMetricOutput;   //Flag to indicate metric output
     const std::map<int, drillbit> parsed_bits;
     const std::map<int, multi_linestring_type_fp> parsed_holes;