diff --git a/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/header.hpp b/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/header.hpp
index f52f7aa0cf..367f7d9ad3 100644
--- a/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/header.hpp
+++ b/include/seqan3/io/sam_file/header.hpp
@@ -56,17 +56,10 @@ class sam_file_header
     sam_file_header & operator=(sam_file_header &&) = default;     //!< Defaulted.
     ~sam_file_header() = default;                                  //!< Defaulted.
 
-    /*!\brief Construct from a range of reference ids which redirects the `ref_ids_ptr` member (non-owning).
-     * \param[in] ref_ids The range over reference ids to redirect the pointer at.
+    /*!\brief Construct from a range of reference ids which is moved into the `ref_ids_ptr` (owning).
+     * \param[in] ref_ids The range over reference ids.
      */
-    sam_file_header(ref_ids_type & ref_ids) : ref_ids_ptr{&ref_ids, ref_ids_deleter_noop}
-    {}
-
-    /*!\brief Construct from a rvalue range of reference ids which is moved into the `ref_ids_ptr` (owning).
-     * \param[in] ref_ids The range over reference ids to own.
-     */
-    sam_file_header(ref_ids_type && ref_ids) :
-        ref_ids_ptr{new ref_ids_type{std::move(ref_ids)}, ref_ids_deleter_default}
+    sam_file_header(ref_ids_type ref_ids) : ref_ids_ptr{std::make_unique<ref_ids_type>(std::move(ref_ids))}
     {}
     //!\}
 
@@ -84,21 +77,14 @@ class sam_file_header
 
 private:
     //!\brief The type of the internal ref_ids pointer. Allows dynamically setting ownership management.
-    using ref_ids_ptr_t = std::unique_ptr<ref_ids_type, std::function<void(ref_ids_type *)>>;
-    //!\brief Stream deleter that does nothing (no ownership assumed).
-    static void ref_ids_deleter_noop(ref_ids_type *)
-    {}
-    //!\brief Stream deleter with default behaviour (ownership assumed).
-    static void ref_ids_deleter_default(ref_ids_type * ptr)
-    {
-        delete ptr;
-    }
+    using ref_ids_ptr_t = std::unique_ptr<ref_ids_type>;
+
     //!\brief The key's type of ref_dict.
     using key_type = std::conditional_t<std::ranges::contiguous_range<std::ranges::range_reference_t<ref_ids_type>>,
                                         std::span<range_innermost_value_t<ref_ids_type> const>,
                                         type_reduce_t<std::ranges::range_reference_t<ref_ids_type>>>;
-    //!\brief The pointer to reference ids information (non-owning if reference information is given).
-    ref_ids_ptr_t ref_ids_ptr{new ref_ids_type{}, ref_ids_deleter_default};
+    //!\brief The pointer to reference ids information (owning).
+    ref_ids_ptr_t ref_ids_ptr{std::make_unique<ref_ids_type>(ref_ids_type{})};
 
     //!\brief Custom hash function since std::hash is not defined for all range types (e.g. std::span<char>).
     struct key_hasher