diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AAX/juce_AAX_Wrapper.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AAX/juce_AAX_Wrapper.cpp
index 2076fa2675..8502d0fb69 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AAX/juce_AAX_Wrapper.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AAX/juce_AAX_Wrapper.cpp
@@ -2483,7 +2483,7 @@ namespace AAXClasses
 
     static void getPlugInDescription (AAX_IEffectDescriptor& descriptor, [[maybe_unused]] const AAX_IFeatureInfo* featureInfo)
     {
-        std::unique_ptr<AudioProcessor> plugin (createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_AAX));
+        auto plugin = createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_AAX);
         auto numInputBuses  = plugin->getBusCount (true);
         auto numOutputBuses = plugin->getBusCount (false);
 
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AU_Wrapper.mm b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AU_Wrapper.mm
index f994a32ac1..beced27952 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AU_Wrapper.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AU_Wrapper.mm
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ struct AudioProcessorHolder
         if (initialiseGUI)
             initialiseJuce_GUI();
 
-        juceFilter.reset (createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_AudioUnit));
+        juceFilter = createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_AudioUnit);
 
         // audio units do not have a notion of enabled or un-enabled buses
         juceFilter->enableAllBuses();
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AUv3_Wrapper.mm b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AUv3_Wrapper.mm
index cf7a4b8408..7c29740045 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AUv3_Wrapper.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/AU/juce_AUv3_Wrapper.mm
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ using namespace juce;
 struct AudioProcessorHolder  : public ReferenceCountedObject
 {
     AudioProcessorHolder() = default;
-    explicit AudioProcessorHolder (AudioProcessor* p) : processor (p) {}
+    explicit AudioProcessorHolder (std::unique_ptr<AudioProcessor> p) : processor (std::move (p)) {}
     AudioProcessor& operator*() noexcept        { return *processor; }
     AudioProcessor* operator->() noexcept       { return processor.get(); }
     AudioProcessor* get() noexcept              { return processor.get(); }
@@ -1746,9 +1746,9 @@ public:
     {
         JUCE_ASSERT_MESSAGE_THREAD
 
-        if (AudioProcessor* p = createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_AudioUnitv3))
+        if (auto p = createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_AudioUnitv3))
         {
-            processorHolder = new AudioProcessorHolder (p);
+            processorHolder = new AudioProcessorHolder (std::move (p));
             auto& processor = getAudioProcessor();
 
             if (processor.hasEditor())
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/LV2/juce_LV2_Client.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/LV2/juce_LV2_Client.cpp
index 1e80aab3a3..198555c554 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/LV2/juce_LV2_Client.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/LV2/juce_LV2_Client.cpp
@@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ public:
 
     static std::unique_ptr<AudioProcessor> createProcessorInstance()
     {
-        auto result = rawToUniquePtr (createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_LV2));
+        auto result = createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_LV2);
 
        #if defined (JucePlugin_PreferredChannelConfigurations)
         constexpr short channelConfigurations[][2] { JucePlugin_PreferredChannelConfigurations };
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Standalone/juce_StandaloneFilterWindow.h b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Standalone/juce_StandaloneFilterWindow.h
index e7bfc75857..6a96c9beba 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Standalone/juce_StandaloneFilterWindow.h
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Standalone/juce_StandaloneFilterWindow.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public:
     //==============================================================================
     virtual void createPlugin()
     {
-        processor.reset (createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_Standalone));
+        processor = createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_Standalone);
         processor->disableNonMainBuses();
         processor->setRateAndBufferSizeDetails (44100, 512);
 
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Unity/juce_Unity_Wrapper.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Unity/juce_Unity_Wrapper.cpp
index 8609e57df5..e2cc0f692f 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Unity/juce_Unity_Wrapper.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/Unity/juce_Unity_Wrapper.cpp
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ class AudioProcessorUnityWrapper
 public:
     AudioProcessorUnityWrapper (bool isTemporary)
     {
-        pluginInstance.reset (createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_Unity));
+        pluginInstance = createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_Unity);
 
         if (! isTemporary && pluginInstance->hasEditor())
         {
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/VST3/juce_VST3_Wrapper.cpp b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/VST3/juce_VST3_Wrapper.cpp
index 334b1ca782..da79dcc63f 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/VST3/juce_VST3_Wrapper.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/VST3/juce_VST3_Wrapper.cpp
@@ -2420,7 +2420,7 @@ class JuceVST3Component : public Vst::IComponent,
 {
 public:
     JuceVST3Component (Vst::IHostApplication* h)
-        : pluginInstance (createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_VST3)),
+        : pluginInstance (createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_VST3).release()),
           host (h)
     {
         inParameterChangedCallback = false;
diff --git a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/utility/juce_CreatePluginFilter.h b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/utility/juce_CreatePluginFilter.h
index 90b8b70231..50dfd51fa5 100644
--- a/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/utility/juce_CreatePluginFilter.h
+++ b/modules/juce_audio_plugin_client/utility/juce_CreatePluginFilter.h
@@ -28,18 +28,18 @@
 namespace juce
 {
 
-inline AudioProcessor* JUCE_API JUCE_CALLTYPE createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::WrapperType type)
+inline std::unique_ptr<AudioProcessor> createPluginFilterOfType (AudioProcessor::WrapperType type)
 {
     PluginHostType::jucePlugInClientCurrentWrapperType = type;
     AudioProcessor::setTypeOfNextNewPlugin (type);
-    AudioProcessor* const pluginInstance = ::createPluginFilter();
+    auto pluginInstance = rawToUniquePtr (::createPluginFilter());
     AudioProcessor::setTypeOfNextNewPlugin (AudioProcessor::wrapperType_Undefined);
 
     // your createPluginFilter() method must return an object!
     jassert (pluginInstance != nullptr && pluginInstance->wrapperType == type);
 
    #if JucePlugin_Enable_ARA
-    jassert (dynamic_cast<juce::AudioProcessorARAExtension*> (pluginInstance) != nullptr);
+    jassert (dynamic_cast<juce::AudioProcessorARAExtension*> (pluginInstance.get()) != nullptr);
    #endif
 
     return pluginInstance;