diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/request.h b/include/libcamera/internal/request.h
index 643f67cabf5778f7515c0117d06d4e0a3fdec4f8..693097ee9a263be5b4217d5e5393ea93cc30a239 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/request.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/request.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public:
 	Camera *camera() const { return camera_; }
 	bool hasPendingBuffers() const;
 
-	ControlList &metadata() { return *metadata_; }
+	ControlList &metadata() { return metadata_; }
 
 	bool completeBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer);
 	void complete();
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ private:
 	std::unordered_set<FrameBuffer *> pending_;
 	std::map<FrameBuffer *, EventNotifier> notifiers_;
 	std::unique_ptr<Timer> timer_;
-	ControlList *metadata_;
+	ControlList metadata_;
 };
 
 } /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/request.cpp b/src/libcamera/request.cpp
index a661b2f5c8ae9ae2bcbab2dcdceeef7dcb8d0930..0d6c4a0ce9aec5f328c1f66cea43abb37c82544a 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/request.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/request.cpp
@@ -53,20 +53,17 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Request)
 /**
  * \brief Create a Request::Private
  * \param camera The Camera that creates the request
+ *
+ * \todo Add a validator for metadata controls.
  */
 Request::Private::Private(Camera *camera)
-	: camera_(camera), cancelled_(false)
+	: camera_(camera), cancelled_(false), metadata_(controls::controls)
 {
-	/**
-	 * \todo Add a validator for metadata controls.
-	 */
-	metadata_ = new ControlList(controls::controls);
 }
 
 Request::Private::~Private()
 {
 	doCancelRequest();
-	delete metadata_;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -410,7 +407,7 @@ void Request::reuse(ReuseFlag flags)
 	status_ = RequestPending;
 
 	controls_->clear();
-	_d()->metadata_->clear();
+	_d()->metadata_.clear();
 }
 
 /**
@@ -435,7 +432,7 @@ void Request::reuse(ReuseFlag flags)
  */
 const ControlList &Request::metadata() const
 {
-	return *_d()->metadata_;
+	return _d()->metadata_;
 }
 
 /**