diff --git a/src/OpaqueVal.cc b/src/OpaqueVal.cc
index cddc230f64..49a1c9cdaa 100644
--- a/src/OpaqueVal.cc
+++ b/src/OpaqueVal.cc
@@ -1073,7 +1073,7 @@ bool ParaglobVal::DoUnserialize(const broker::data& data)
 
 	try
 		{
-		this->internal_paraglob = build_unique<paraglob::Paraglob>(std::move(iv));
+		this->internal_paraglob = make_unique<paraglob::Paraglob>(std::move(iv));
 		}
 	catch (const paraglob::underflow_error& e)
 		{
@@ -1093,7 +1093,7 @@ Val* ParaglobVal::DoClone(CloneState* state)
 	{
 	try {
 		return new ParaglobVal
-			(build_unique<paraglob::Paraglob>(this->internal_paraglob->serialize()));
+			(make_unique<paraglob::Paraglob>(this->internal_paraglob->serialize()));
 		}
 	catch (const paraglob::underflow_error& e)
 		{
diff --git a/src/Var.cc b/src/Var.cc
index 35162484ed..fa4eb21b4c 100644
--- a/src/Var.cc
+++ b/src/Var.cc
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ void end_func(Stmt* body)
 
 std::unique_ptr<function_ingredients> gather_function_ingredients(Scope* scope, Stmt* body)
 	{
-	auto ingredients = build_unique<function_ingredients>();
+	auto ingredients = make_unique<function_ingredients>();
 
 	ingredients->frame_size = scope->Length();
 	ingredients->inits = scope->GetInits();
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index f25605340e..129ca02276 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -563,15 +563,6 @@ void bro_strerror_r(int bro_errno, char* buf, size_t buflen);
  */
 char* zeekenv(const char* name);
 
-/**
- * Small convenience function. Does what std::make_unique does in C++14. Will not
- * work on arrays.
- */
-template <typename T, typename ... Args>
-std::unique_ptr<T> build_unique (Args&&... args) {
-	return std::unique_ptr<T>(new T(std::forward<Args>(args)...));
-}
-
 /**
  * Escapes bytes in a string that are not valid UTF8 characters with \xYY format. Used
  * by the JSON writer and BIF methods.