diff --git a/include/crill/reclaim_object.h b/include/crill/reclaim_object.h
index 401af4d..010f6e9 100644
--- a/include/crill/reclaim_object.h
+++ b/include/crill/reclaim_object.h
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 #include <thread>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <memory>
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cassert>
 #include <vector>
 #include <crill/atomic_unique_ptr.h>
 
@@ -61,50 +63,37 @@ class reclaim_object
     // Reading the value must happen through a reader class.
     class reader;
 
-    // read_ptr provides scoped read access to the value.
-    class read_ptr
+    // custom deleter for read-only unique_ptr
+    struct read_ptr_deleter
     {
-    public:
-        read_ptr(reader& rdr) noexcept
-          : rdr(rdr)
+        constexpr read_ptr_deleter() noexcept = default;
+        explicit constexpr read_ptr_deleter(reader& rdr) noexcept : rdr(&rdr)
         {
             assert(rdr.min_epoch == 0);
-
             rdr.min_epoch.store(rdr.obj.current_epoch.load());
             assert(rdr.min_epoch =! 0);
+        };
 
-            value_read = rdr.obj.value.load();
-            assert(value_read);
-        }
-
-        ~read_ptr()
-        {
-            assert(rdr.min_epoch != 0);
-            rdr.min_epoch.store(0);
-        }
+        read_ptr_deleter(const read_ptr_deleter &) noexcept = default;
+        read_ptr_deleter(read_ptr_deleter &&) noexcept = default;
+        read_ptr_deleter &operator=(read_ptr_deleter const &) noexcept = default;
+        read_ptr_deleter &operator=(read_ptr_deleter &&) noexcept = default;
 
-        const T& operator*() const
+        void operator()(const T*) const
         {
-            assert(value_read);
-            return *value_read;
+            if (rdr)
+            {
+                assert(rdr->min_epoch != 0);
+                rdr->min_epoch.store(0);
+            }
         }
 
-        const T* operator->() const
-        {
-            assert(value_read);
-            return value_read;
-        }
-
-        read_ptr(read_ptr&&) = delete;
-        read_ptr& operator=(read_ptr&&) = delete;
-        read_ptr(const read_ptr&) = delete;
-        read_ptr& operator=(const read_ptr&) = delete;
-
     private:
-        reader& rdr;
-        T* value_read = nullptr;
+        reader* rdr;
     };
 
+    using read_ptr = std::unique_ptr<const T, read_ptr_deleter>;
+
     class reader
     {
     public:
@@ -130,12 +119,13 @@ class reclaim_object
         // Non-blocking guarantees: wait-free.
         read_ptr read_lock() noexcept
         {
-            return read_ptr(*this);
+            auto deleter = read_ptr_deleter(*this);
+            return read_ptr(obj.value.load(), std::move(deleter));
         }
 
     private:
         friend class reclaim_object;
-        friend class read_ptr;
+        friend class read_ptr_deleter;
         reclaim_object& obj;
         std::atomic<std::uint64_t> min_epoch = 0;
     };
diff --git a/include/crill/reclaim_on_write_object.h b/include/crill/reclaim_on_write_object.h
index 115cc33..6fe5757 100644
--- a/include/crill/reclaim_on_write_object.h
+++ b/include/crill/reclaim_on_write_object.h
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include <mutex>
 #include <array>
 #include <vector>
+#include <cassert>
+#include <algorithm>
 
 namespace crill
 {
diff --git a/tests/reclaim_object_test.cpp b/tests/reclaim_object_test.cpp
index c45ce81..753e93d 100644
--- a/tests/reclaim_object_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/reclaim_object_test.cpp
@@ -42,13 +42,18 @@ TEST_CASE("reclaim_object::read_ptr")
     crill::reclaim_object<std::string> obj(3, 'x');
     auto reader = obj.get_reader();
 
-    SUBCASE("read_ptr is not copyable or movable")
+    SUBCASE("read_ptr is not copyable")
     {
         auto read_ptr = reader.read_lock();
         static_assert(!std::is_copy_constructible_v<decltype(read_ptr)>);
         static_assert(!std::is_copy_assignable_v<decltype(read_ptr)>);
-        static_assert(!std::is_move_constructible_v<decltype(read_ptr)>);
-        static_assert(!std::is_move_assignable_v<decltype(read_ptr)>);
+    }
+
+    SUBCASE("read_ptr is movable movable")
+    {
+        auto read_ptr = reader.read_lock();
+        static_assert(std::is_move_constructible_v<decltype(read_ptr)>);
+        static_assert(std::is_move_assignable_v<decltype(read_ptr)>);
     }
 
     SUBCASE("Dereference")
diff --git a/tests/utility_test.cpp b/tests/utility_test.cpp
index 0b1d399..2fd6291 100644
--- a/tests/utility_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/utility_test.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 #include <thread>
+#include <atomic>
 #include <crill/utility.h>
 #include "tests.h"