diff --git a/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h b/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h
index 52150f28352..95933a614c3 100644
--- a/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h
+++ b/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/AABB_tree.h
@@ -633,9 +633,9 @@ public:
 	typename AABB_tree<Tr>::Self& AABB_tree<Tr>::operator=(Self&& tree) noexcept
 	{
 		m_traits = std::move(tree.traits);
-		m_primitives = std::exchange(tree.m_primitives, {});
-		m_p_nodes = std::exchange(tree.m_p_nodes, {});
-		m_p_search_tree = std::exchange(tree.m_p_search_tree, nullptr);
+		m_primitives = std::move(tree.m_primitives);
+		m_p_nodes = std::move(tree.m_p_nodes);
+		m_p_search_tree = std::move(tree.m_p_search_tree);
 		m_search_tree_constructed = std::exchange(tree.m_search_tree_constructed, false);
 		m_default_search_tree_constructed = std::exchange(tree.m_default_search_tree_constructed, true);
 		m_need_build = std::exchange(tree.m_need_build, false);
diff --git a/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/internal/AABB_tree/AABB_search_tree.h b/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/internal/AABB_tree/AABB_search_tree.h
index f50afaf4f03..9ba3cf2481b 100644
--- a/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/internal/AABB_tree/AABB_search_tree.h
+++ b/AABB_tree/include/CGAL/internal/AABB_tree/AABB_search_tree.h
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@
 #ifndef CGAL_AABB_SEARCH_TREE_H
 #define CGAL_AABB_SEARCH_TREE_H
 
-#include <memory>
-
 #include <CGAL/license/AABB_tree.h>
 
 
@@ -85,7 +83,7 @@ namespace CGAL
                 typedef typename CGAL::Orthogonal_k_neighbor_search<TreeTraits> Neighbor_search;
                 typedef typename Neighbor_search::Tree Tree;
         private:
-                std::unique_ptr<Tree> m_p_tree;
+                Tree m_tree;
 
 
                 Point_and_primitive_id get_p_and_p(const Point_and_primitive_id& p)
@@ -100,22 +98,22 @@ namespace CGAL
         public:
                 template <class ConstPointIterator>
                 AABB_search_tree(ConstPointIterator begin, ConstPointIterator beyond)
-                    : m_p_tree(nullptr)
+                    : m_tree{}
                 {
-                        typedef typename Add_decorated_point<Traits, typename Traits::Primitive::Id>::Point_3 Decorated_point;
+                        typedef typename Add_decorated_point<Traits,typename Traits::Primitive::Id>::Point_3 Decorated_point;
                         std::vector<Decorated_point> points;
                         while(begin != beyond) {
                                 Point_and_primitive_id pp = get_p_and_p(*begin);
-                                points.emplace_back(pp.first,pp.second);
+                                points.emplace_back(pp.first, pp.second);
                                 ++begin;
                         }
-                        m_p_tree = std::make_unique<Tree>(points.begin(), points.end());
-                        m_p_tree->build();
+                        m_tree.insert(points.begin(), points.end());
+                        m_tree.build();
                 }
 
                 Point_and_primitive_id closest_point(const Point& query) const
                 {
-                        Neighbor_search search(*m_p_tree, query, 1);
+                        Neighbor_search search(m_tree, query, 1);
                         return Point_and_primitive_id(static_cast<Point>(search.begin()->first), search.begin()->first.id());
                 }
         };