diff --git a/include/Cache.h b/include/Cache.h
index c038b3d..a39633a 100644
--- a/include/Cache.h
+++ b/include/Cache.h
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ private:
 
 namespace cache {
 void
-init(const QString &userId, QObject *parent);
+init(const QString &user_id);
 
 Cache *
 client();
diff --git a/include/MatrixClient.h b/include/MatrixClient.h
index 6ed1c2c..61e14d3 100644
--- a/include/MatrixClient.h
+++ b/include/MatrixClient.h
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ private:
 namespace http {
 //! Initialize the http module
 void
-init(QObject *parent);
+init();
 
 //! Retrieve the client instance.
 MatrixClient *
diff --git a/src/Cache.cc b/src/Cache.cc
index d80834a..23d37f5 100644
--- a/src/Cache.cc
+++ b/src/Cache.cc
@@ -54,21 +54,21 @@ using CachedReceipts = std::multimap<uint64_t, std::string, std::greater<uint64_
 using Receipts       = std::map<std::string, std::map<std::string, uint64_t>>;
 
 namespace {
-Cache *instance_ = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr<Cache> instance_ = nullptr;
 }
 
 namespace cache {
 void
-init(const QString &user_id, QObject *parent)
+init(const QString &user_id)
 {
         if (!instance_)
-                instance_ = new Cache(user_id, parent);
+                instance_ = std::make_unique<Cache>(user_id);
 }
 
 Cache *
 client()
 {
-        return instance_;
+        return instance_.get();
 }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ChatPage.cc b/src/ChatPage.cc
index 7f08eda..6040dc6 100644
--- a/src/ChatPage.cc
+++ b/src/ChatPage.cc
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ ChatPage::bootstrap(QString userid, QString homeserver, QString token)
         http::client()->getOwnProfile();
         http::client()->getOwnCommunities();
 
-        cache::init(userid, this);
+        cache::init(userid);
 
         try {
                 cache::client()->setup();
diff --git a/src/MainWindow.cc b/src/MainWindow.cc
index e256e6c..c46cbff 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow.cc
+++ b/src/MainWindow.cc
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
         setObjectName("MainWindow");
 
         // Initialize the http client.
-        http::init(this);
+        http::init();
 
         restoreWindowSize();
 
diff --git a/src/MatrixClient.cc b/src/MatrixClient.cc
index c6ca74a..6336a5c 100644
--- a/src/MatrixClient.cc
+++ b/src/MatrixClient.cc
@@ -34,22 +34,22 @@
 #include "MatrixClient.h"
 
 namespace {
-MatrixClient *instance_ = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr<MatrixClient> instance_ = nullptr;
 }
 
 namespace http {
 
 void
-init(QObject *parent)
+init()
 {
         if (!instance_)
-                instance_ = new MatrixClient(parent);
+                instance_ = std::make_unique<MatrixClient>();
 }
 
 MatrixClient *
 client()
 {
-        return instance_;
+        return instance_.get();
 }
 }