diff --git a/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h b/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
index 468c25980c..ea4284cb82 100644
--- a/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
+++ b/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
@@ -162,13 +162,14 @@ void read_attribute(hid_t obj_id, const char* name, xt::xarray<T>& arr)
   std::size_t size = 1;
   for (const auto x : shape)
     size *= x;
-  T* buffer = new T[size];
+  std::vector<T> buffer;
+  buffer.resize(size);
 
   // Read data from attribute
-  read_attr(obj_id, name, H5TypeMap<T>::type_id, buffer);
+  read_attr(obj_id, name, H5TypeMap<T>::type_id, buffer.data());
 
   // Adapt array into xarray
-  arr = xt::adapt(buffer, size, xt::acquire_ownership(), shape);
+  arr = xt::adapt(buffer, shape);
 }
 
 // overload for std::string
@@ -244,13 +245,14 @@ void read_dataset(hid_t dset, xt::xarray<T>& arr, bool indep=false)
   std::size_t size = 1;
   for (const auto x : shape)
     size *= x;
-  T* buffer = new T[size];
+  std::vector<T> buffer;
+  buffer.resize(size);
 
   // Read data from attribute
-  read_dataset(dset, nullptr, H5TypeMap<T>::type_id, buffer, indep);
+  read_dataset(dset, nullptr, H5TypeMap<T>::type_id, buffer.data(), indep);
 
   // Adapt into xarray
-  arr = xt::adapt(buffer, size, xt::acquire_ownership(), shape);
+  arr = xt::adapt(buffer, shape);
 }
 
 template <typename T>
@@ -273,13 +275,14 @@ void read_dataset_as_shape(hid_t obj_id, const char* name,
   std::size_t size = 1;
   for (const auto x : arr.shape())
     size *= x;
-  T* buffer = new T[size];
+  std::vector<T> buffer;
+  buffer.resize(size);
 
   // Read data from attribute
-  read_dataset(dset, nullptr, H5TypeMap<T>::type_id, buffer, indep);
+  read_dataset(dset, nullptr, H5TypeMap<T>::type_id, buffer.data(), indep);
 
   // Adapt into xarray
-  arr = xt::adapt(buffer, size, xt::acquire_ownership(), arr.shape());
+  arr = xt::adapt(buffer, arr.shape());
 
   close_dataset(dset);
 }