diff --git a/requester.cpp b/requester.cpp
index 5a80f9c..75e30f4 100644
--- a/requester.cpp
+++ b/requester.cpp
@@ -26,33 +26,15 @@ size_t requester::write_data(char *buf, size_t sz, size_t nmemb, void *user_data
 
 requester::requester() {
     curl_global_init(CURL_GLOBAL_ALL);
-    _h = curl_easy_init();
-    curl_easy_setopt(_h, CURLOPT_WRITEFUNCTION, write_data);
-}
-
-requester::~requester() {
-    curl_easy_cleanup(_h);
-}
-
-requester::requester(requester&& other) {
-    _h = other._h;
-    other._h = nullptr;
-}
-
-requester& requester::operator=(requester &&other) {
-    if (this != &other) {
-        curl_easy_cleanup(_h);
-        _h = other._h;
-        other._h = nullptr;
-    }
-    return *this;
+    _h.reset(curl_easy_init());
+    curl_easy_setopt(_h.get(), CURLOPT_WRITEFUNCTION, write_data);
 }
 
 std::string requester::get(const std::string &url) {
-    curl_easy_setopt(_h, CURLOPT_URL, url.c_str());
+    curl_easy_setopt(_h.get(), CURLOPT_URL, url.c_str());
     std::vector<char> buf;
-    curl_easy_setopt(_h, CURLOPT_WRITEDATA, &buf);
-    auto success = curl_easy_perform(_h);
+    curl_easy_setopt(_h.get(), CURLOPT_WRITEDATA, &buf);
+    auto success = curl_easy_perform(_h.get());
     if (success != CURLE_OK) throw std::runtime_error("could not get remote data");
     std::string text {buf.data(), buf.size()};
     return text;
diff --git a/requester.hpp b/requester.hpp
index 50769c7..95288f1 100644
--- a/requester.hpp
+++ b/requester.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #define _requester_H_
 
 #include <string>
+#include <memory>
 #include <curl/curl.h>
 
 class requester {
@@ -20,21 +21,11 @@ class requester {
         // this class is a RAII class for a curl handle
         requester();
 
-        // forbid copying
-        requester(const requester& other) = delete;
-        requester& operator=(const requester& other) = delete;
-
-        // allow moving
-        requester(requester&& other);
-        requester& operator=(requester&& other);
-
-        // cleanup
-        ~requester();
-        
+        // perform a http get request
         std::string get(const std::string& url);
 
     private:
-        CURL* _h {nullptr}; // curl handle
+        std::unique_ptr<CURL, void(*)(CURL*)> _h {nullptr, curl_easy_cleanup};
 };
 
 #endif // _requester_H_