diff --git a/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.cpp b/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.cpp
index c1e1499f85..8f1511c0ad 100755
--- a/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.cpp
+++ b/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.cpp
@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@ ATNDeserializationOptions::ATNDeserializationOptions(ATNDeserializationOptions *
     : _readOnly(false), _verifyATN(options->_verifyATN),
       _generateRuleBypassTransitions(options->_generateRuleBypassTransitions) {}
 
-const ATNDeserializationOptions& ATNDeserializationOptions::getDefaultOptions() {
-  static const ATNDeserializationOptions* const defaultOptions = new ATNDeserializationOptions();
-  return *defaultOptions;
+ATNDeserializationOptions ATNDeserializationOptions::getDefaultOptions() {
+  return ATNDeserializationOptions();
 }
 
 void ATNDeserializationOptions::makeReadOnly() {
diff --git a/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.h b/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.h
index 8b1f9850b7..5372fdcbe7 100755
--- a/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.h
+++ b/runtime/Cpp/runtime/src/atn/ATNDeserializationOptions.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class ANTLR4CPP_PUBLIC ATNDeserializationOptions final {
 
   ATNDeserializationOptions& operator=(const ATNDeserializationOptions&) = default;
 
-  static const ATNDeserializationOptions& getDefaultOptions();
+  static ATNDeserializationOptions getDefaultOptions();
 
   bool isReadOnly() const { return _readOnly; }
 
diff --git a/tool/resources/org/antlr/v4/tool/templates/codegen/Cpp/Cpp.stg b/tool/resources/org/antlr/v4/tool/templates/codegen/Cpp/Cpp.stg
index 6fc4419d02..ab823b2d9e 100644
--- a/tool/resources/org/antlr/v4/tool/templates/codegen/Cpp/Cpp.stg
+++ b/tool/resources/org/antlr/v4/tool/templates/codegen/Cpp/Cpp.stg
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ struct <lexer.name; format = "cap">StaticData final {
 #if ANTLR4_USE_THREAD_LOCAL_CACHE
 static thread_local
 #endif
-<lexer.name; format = "cap">StaticData *<lexer.grammarName; format = "lower">LexerStaticData = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr\<<lexer.name; format = "cap">StaticData> <lexer.grammarName; format = "lower">LexerStaticData;
 
 void <lexer.grammarName; format = "lower">LexerInitialize() {
 #if ANTLR4_USE_THREAD_LOCAL_CACHE
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ void <lexer.grammarName; format = "lower">LexerInitialize() {
     }
   );
   <atn>
-  <lexer.grammarName; format = "lower">LexerStaticData = staticData.release();
+  <lexer.grammarName; format = "lower">LexerStaticData = std::move(staticData);
 }
 
 }
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ struct <parser.name; format = "cap">StaticData final {
 #if ANTLR4_USE_THREAD_LOCAL_CACHE
 static thread_local
 #endif
-<parser.name; format = "cap">StaticData *<parser.grammarName; format = "lower">ParserStaticData = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr\<<parser.name; format = "cap">StaticData> <parser.grammarName; format = "lower">ParserStaticData;
 
 void <parser.grammarName; format = "lower">ParserInitialize() {
 #if ANTLR4_USE_THREAD_LOCAL_CACHE
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ void <parser.grammarName; format = "lower">ParserInitialize() {
     }
   );
   <atn>
-  <parser.grammarName; format = "lower">ParserStaticData = staticData.release();
+  <parser.grammarName; format = "lower">ParserStaticData = std::move(staticData);
 }
 
 }