diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.cc b/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.cc
index 525d3c96cc9..d9cfabf5518 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.cc
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.cc
@@ -682,9 +682,10 @@ void PackedDecode::endIngest(int4 bufPos)
     endPos.end = (*endPos.seqIter).end;
     // Make sure there is at least one character after ingested buffer
     if (bufPos == BUFFER_SIZE) {
-      // Last buffer was entirely filled
-      uint1 *endbuf = new uint1[1];		// Add one more buffer
-      inStream.emplace_back(endbuf,endbuf + 1);
+      // Last buffer was entirely filled — append a 1-byte tail chunk
+      auto owned = make_unique<uint1[]>(1);
+      uint1 *endbuf = owned.get();
+      inStream.emplace_back(move(owned),endbuf,endbuf + 1);
       bufPos = 0;
     }
     uint1 *buf = inStream.back().start;
@@ -698,10 +699,8 @@ void PackedDecode::endIngest(int4 bufPos)
 PackedDecode::~PackedDecode(void)
 
 {
-  list<ByteChunk>::const_iterator iter;
-  for(iter=inStream.begin();iter!=inStream.end();++iter) {
-    delete [] (*iter).start;
-  }
+  // inStream's chunks own their buffers via ByteChunk::storage (unique_ptr<uint1[]>),
+  // which cleans up automatically on chunk destruction. No manual delete[] needed.
 }
 
 void PackedDecode::ingestStream(istream &s)
diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.hh b/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.hh
index 9817f7b0131..340d8d9ba89 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.hh
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.hh
@@ -19,11 +19,15 @@
 #include "xml.hh"
 #include "opcodes.hh"
 #include <list>
+#include <memory>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
 namespace ghidra {
 
 using std::list;
+using std::make_unique;
+using std::move;
+using std::unique_ptr;
 using std::unordered_map;
 
 /// \brief An annotation for a data element to being transferred to/from a stream
@@ -513,13 +517,22 @@ class PackedDecode : public Decoder {
 public:
   static const int4 BUFFER_SIZE;	///< The size, in bytes, of a single cached chunk of the input stream
 private:
-  /// \brief A bounded array of bytes
+  /// \brief A bounded array of bytes, owning its storage
+  ///
+  /// The chunk owns the underlying buffer via \b storage and exposes a [start,end)
+  /// window into it. The window typically covers the entire buffer; callers that
+  /// need a sub-range (e.g. the 1-byte padding tail in endIngest) pass an
+  /// explicit end pointer at construction. The unique_ptr cleans up on chunk
+  /// destruction, so PackedDecode's destructor no longer walks inStream.
+  /// Move-only — list::emplace_back constructs in place, so no copies needed.
   class ByteChunk {
     friend class PackedDecode;
-    uint1 *start;			///< Start of the byte array
-    uint1 *end;				///< End of the byte array
+    unique_ptr<uint1[]> storage;	///< Owning storage for the byte array
+    uint1 *start;			///< Start of the valid window (points into storage)
+    uint1 *end;				///< End of the valid window (one past the last valid byte)
   public:
-    ByteChunk(uint1 *s,uint1 *e) { start = s; end = e; }	///< Constructor
+    ByteChunk(unique_ptr<uint1[]> buf,uint1 *s,uint1 *e) :
+      storage(move(buf)), start(s), end(e) {}				///< Constructor
   };
   /// \brief An iterator into input stream
   class Position {
@@ -651,8 +664,9 @@ inline void PackedDecode::advancePosition(Position &pos,uint4 skip)
 inline uint1 *PackedDecode::allocateNextInputBuffer(int4 pad)
 
 {
-  uint1 *buf = new uint1[BUFFER_SIZE + pad];
-  inStream.emplace_back(buf,buf+BUFFER_SIZE);
+  auto owned = make_unique<uint1[]>(BUFFER_SIZE + pad);
+  uint1 *buf = owned.get();
+  inStream.emplace_back(move(owned),buf,buf+BUFFER_SIZE);
   return buf;
 }
 
diff --git a/gradle/cppRaiiAudit.gradle b/gradle/cppRaiiAudit.gradle
index 94eaf3058ea..39059faf397 100644
--- a/gradle/cppRaiiAudit.gradle
+++ b/gradle/cppRaiiAudit.gradle
@@ -41,9 +41,13 @@ final Pattern RAW_NEW_PATTERN = Pattern.compile(
 // the address / space / rangeutil triangle that the audit named as
 // foundation files; subsequent stages extend the set.
 final Set<String> PROTECTED_FILES = [
+    // Rec 31 Stage 1 (#31-2)
     'Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/address.cc',
     'Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/space.cc',
     'Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/rangeutil.cc',
+    // Rec 31 Stage 2 (#31-3) — marshal half
+    'Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.cc',
+    'Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/src/decompile/cpp/marshal.hh',
 ] as Set
 
 task cppRaiiAudit {