diff --git a/contrib/kyua/utils/process/child.cpp b/contrib/kyua/utils/process/child.cpp
--- a/contrib/kyua/utils/process/child.cpp
+++ b/contrib/kyua/utils/process/child.cpp
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@
             std::cerr << F("Failed to set up subprocess: %s\n") % e.what();
             std::abort();
         }
-        return std::unique_ptr< process::child >(NULL);
+        return {};
     } else {
         ::close(fds[1]);
         LD(F("Spawned process %s: stdout and stderr inherited") % pid);
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@
             std::cerr << F("Failed to set up subprocess: %s\n") % e.what();
             std::abort();
         }
-        return std::unique_ptr< process::child >(NULL);
+        return {};
     } else {
         LD(F("Spawned process %s: stdout=%s, stderr=%s") % pid % stdout_file %
            stderr_file);