diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicombat.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicombat.hpp
index a51393647c..1d8b8a38b3 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicombat.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aicombat.hpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define GAME_MWMECHANICS_AICOMBAT_H
 
 #include "typedaipackage.hpp"
+#include "aitemporarybase.hpp"
 
 #include "../mwworld/cellstore.hpp" // for Doors
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aifollow.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aifollow.hpp
index c57d6da483..c1969a7e27 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aifollow.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aifollow.hpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define GAME_MWMECHANICS_AIFOLLOW_H
 
 #include "typedaipackage.hpp"
+#include "aitemporarybase.hpp"
 
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.hpp
index 4e5dfcab6b..684ff3338d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aipackage.hpp
@@ -4,12 +4,13 @@
 #include <memory>
 
 #include <components/detournavigator/areatype.hpp>
- 
+
 #include "pathfinding.hpp"
 #include "obstacle.hpp"
-#include "aistate.hpp"
 #include "aipackagetypeid.hpp"
 #include "aitimer.hpp"
+#include "aistatefwd.hpp"
+
 #include "../mwworld/ptr.hpp"
 
 namespace ESM
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.cpp
index fc91ce0c42..a9de4a5152 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.cpp
@@ -419,9 +419,9 @@ void AiSequence::stack (const AiPackage& package, const MWWorld::Ptr& actor, boo
     // Make sure that temporary storage is empty
     if (cancelOther)
     {
-        mAiState.moveIn(new AiCombatStorage());
-        mAiState.moveIn(new AiFollowStorage());
-        mAiState.moveIn(new AiWanderStorage());
+        mAiState.moveIn(std::make_unique<AiCombatStorage>());
+        mAiState.moveIn(std::make_unique<AiFollowStorage>());
+        mAiState.moveIn(std::make_unique<AiWanderStorage>());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.hpp
index 5c6a43b9b8..e6f5a108c2 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aisequence.hpp
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ namespace MWMechanics
 {
     class AiPackage;
     class CharacterController;
-    
-    template< class Base > class DerivedClassStorage;
-    struct AiTemporaryBase;
-    typedef DerivedClassStorage<AiTemporaryBase> AiState;
 
     using AiPackages = std::vector<std::shared_ptr<AiPackage>>;
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aistate.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aistate.hpp
index 976e21c65c..ca05c44b36 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aistate.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aistate.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #ifndef AISTATE_H
 #define AISTATE_H
 
-#include <typeinfo>
+#include "aistatefwd.hpp"
+#include "aitemporarybase.hpp"
+
+#include <memory>
 
 namespace MWMechanics
 {
@@ -13,28 +16,24 @@ namespace MWMechanics
      */
     template< class Base >
     class DerivedClassStorage
-    {              
+    {
     private:
-        Base* mStorage;
-        
-        //if needed you have to provide a clone member function
-        DerivedClassStorage( const DerivedClassStorage& other );
-        DerivedClassStorage& operator=( const DerivedClassStorage& );
-        
+        std::unique_ptr<Base> mStorage;
+
     public:
         /// \brief returns reference to stored object or deletes it and creates a fitting
         template< class Derived >
         Derived& get()
         {
-            Derived* result = dynamic_cast<Derived*>(mStorage);
-            
-            if(!result)
+            Derived* result = dynamic_cast<Derived*>(mStorage.get());
+
+            if (result == nullptr)
             {
-                if(mStorage)
-                    delete mStorage;
-                mStorage = result = new Derived();
+                auto storage = std::make_unique<Derived>();
+                result = storage.get();
+                mStorage = std::move(storage);
             }
-            
+
             //return a reference to the (new allocated) object 
             return *result;
         }
@@ -42,61 +41,24 @@ namespace MWMechanics
         template< class Derived >
         void copy(DerivedClassStorage& destination) const
         {
-            Derived* result = dynamic_cast<Derived*>(mStorage);
+            Derived* result = dynamic_cast<Derived*>(mStorage.get());
             if (result != nullptr)
                 destination.store<Derived>(*result);
         }
-        
+
         template< class Derived >
         void store( const Derived& payload )
         {
-            if(mStorage)
-                delete mStorage;
-            mStorage = new Derived(payload);
+            mStorage = std::make_unique<Derived>(payload);
         }
-        
+
         /// \brief takes ownership of the passed object
-        template< class Derived >
-        void moveIn( Derived* p )
+        template <class Derived>
+        void moveIn(std::unique_ptr<Derived>&& storage)
         {
-            if(mStorage)
-                delete mStorage;
-            mStorage = p;
-        }
-        
-        bool empty() const
-        {
-            return mStorage == nullptr;
-        }
-        
-        const std::type_info& getType() const
-        {
-            return typeid(mStorage);
-        }
-        
-        DerivedClassStorage():mStorage(nullptr){}
-        ~DerivedClassStorage()
-        {
-            if(mStorage)
-                delete mStorage;
+            mStorage = std::move(storage);
         }
     };
-
-
-    /// \brief base class for the temporary storage of AiPackages.
-    /**
-     * Each AI package with temporary values needs a AiPackageStorage class
-     * which is derived from AiTemporaryBase. The Actor holds a container
-     * AiState where one of these storages can be stored at a time.
-     * The execute(...) member function takes this container as an argument.
-     * */
-    struct AiTemporaryBase
-    {
-        virtual ~AiTemporaryBase(){}
-    };
-    
-    /// \brief Container for AI package status.
-    typedef DerivedClassStorage<AiTemporaryBase> AiState;
 }
 
 #endif // AISTATE_H
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aistatefwd.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aistatefwd.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..83216d1d27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aistatefwd.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_MWMECHANICS_AISTATEFWD_H
+#define OPENMW_MWMECHANICS_AISTATEFWD_H
+
+namespace MWMechanics
+{
+    template <class Base>
+    class DerivedClassStorage;
+
+    struct AiTemporaryBase;
+
+    /// \brief Container for AI package status.
+    using AiState = DerivedClassStorage<AiTemporaryBase>;
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aitemporarybase.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aitemporarybase.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8ac8e4b71b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aitemporarybase.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#ifndef OPENMW_MWMECHANICS_AISTATE_H
+#define OPENMW_MWMECHANICS_AISTATE_H
+
+namespace MWMechanics
+{
+    /// \brief base class for the temporary storage of AiPackages.
+    /**
+     * Each AI package with temporary values needs a AiPackageStorage class
+     * which is derived from AiTemporaryBase. The Actor holds a container
+     * AiState where one of these storages can be stored at a time.
+     * The execute(...) member function takes this container as an argument.
+     * */
+    struct AiTemporaryBase
+    {
+        virtual ~AiTemporaryBase() = default;
+    };
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp
index f6c46945b1..777e86955d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.cpp
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ namespace MWMechanics
 
         ToWorldCoordinates(dest, actor.getCell()->getCell());
 
-        state.moveIn(new AiWanderStorage());
+        state.moveIn(std::make_unique<AiWanderStorage>());
 
         osg::Vec3f pos(static_cast<float>(dest.mX), static_cast<float>(dest.mY), static_cast<float>(dest.mZ));
         MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->moveObject(actor, pos);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp
index 02a1054363..1adb4ed84e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwmechanics/aiwander.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "pathfinding.hpp"
 #include "obstacle.hpp"
-#include "aistate.hpp"
+#include "aitemporarybase.hpp"
 #include "aitimer.hpp"
 
 namespace ESM