diff --git a/src/base_media_base.h b/src/base_media_base.h
index f38e130f10..4fc897acf2 100644
--- a/src/base_media_base.h
+++ b/src/base_media_base.h
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ struct BaseSet {
 		return Tnum_files - this->valid_files;
 	}
 
-	bool FillSetDetails(IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename, bool allow_empty_filename = true);
+	bool FillSetDetails(IniFile &ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename, bool allow_empty_filename = true);
 
 	/**
 	 * Get the description for the given ISO code.
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ struct GraphicsSet : BaseSet<GraphicsSet, MAX_GFT, true> {
 	PaletteType palette;       ///< Palette of this graphics set
 	BlitterType blitter;       ///< Blitter of this graphics set
 
-	bool FillSetDetails(struct IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename);
+	bool FillSetDetails(IniFile &ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename);
 
 	static MD5File::ChecksumResult CheckMD5(const MD5File *file, Subdirectory subdir);
 };
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ struct MusicSet : BaseSet<MusicSet, NUM_SONGS_AVAILABLE, false> {
 	/** Number of valid songs in set. */
 	byte num_available;
 
-	bool FillSetDetails(struct IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename);
+	bool FillSetDetails(IniFile &ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename);
 };
 
 /** All data/functions related with replacing the base music */
diff --git a/src/base_media_func.h b/src/base_media_func.h
index 9ea40f2de8..7098ebd985 100644
--- a/src/base_media_func.h
+++ b/src/base_media_func.h
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ extern void CheckExternalFiles();
  * @return true if loading was successful.
  */
 template <class T, size_t Tnum_files, bool Tsearch_in_tars>
-bool BaseSet<T, Tnum_files, Tsearch_in_tars>::FillSetDetails(IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename, bool allow_empty_filename)
+bool BaseSet<T, Tnum_files, Tsearch_in_tars>::FillSetDetails(IniFile &ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename, bool allow_empty_filename)
 {
-	IniGroup *metadata = ini->GetGroup("metadata");
+	IniGroup *metadata = ini.GetGroup("metadata");
 	IniItem *item;
 
 	fetch_metadata("name");
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ bool BaseSet<T, Tnum_files, Tsearch_in_tars>::FillSetDetails(IniFile *ini, const
 	this->fallback = (item != nullptr && item->value && *item->value != "0" && *item->value != "false");
 
 	/* For each of the file types we want to find the file, MD5 checksums and warning messages. */
-	IniGroup *files  = ini->GetGroup("files");
-	IniGroup *md5s   = ini->GetGroup("md5s");
-	IniGroup *origin = ini->GetGroup("origin");
+	IniGroup *files  = ini.GetGroup("files");
+	IniGroup *md5s   = ini.GetGroup("md5s");
+	IniGroup *origin = ini.GetGroup("origin");
 	for (uint i = 0; i < Tnum_files; i++) {
 		MD5File *file = &this->files[i];
 		/* Find the filename first. */
@@ -159,9 +159,9 @@ bool BaseMedia<Tbase_set>::AddFile(const std::string &filename, size_t basepath_
 	Debug(grf, 1, "Checking {} for base " SET_TYPE " set", filename);
 
 	Tbase_set *set = new Tbase_set();
-	IniFile *ini = new IniFile();
+	IniFile ini{};
 	std::string path{ filename, basepath_length };
-	ini->LoadFromDisk(path, BASESET_DIR);
+	ini.LoadFromDisk(path, BASESET_DIR);
 
 	auto psep = path.rfind(PATHSEPCHAR);
 	if (psep != std::string::npos) {
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@ bool BaseMedia<Tbase_set>::AddFile(const std::string &filename, size_t basepath_
 		delete set;
 	}
 
-	delete ini;
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gfxinit.cpp b/src/gfxinit.cpp
index bc91ea0094..352c15fe99 100644
--- a/src/gfxinit.cpp
+++ b/src/gfxinit.cpp
@@ -347,11 +347,11 @@ void GfxLoadSprites()
 	UpdateCursorSize();
 }
 
-bool GraphicsSet::FillSetDetails(IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename)
+bool GraphicsSet::FillSetDetails(IniFile &ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename)
 {
 	bool ret = this->BaseSet<GraphicsSet, MAX_GFT, true>::FillSetDetails(ini, path, full_filename, false);
 	if (ret) {
-		IniGroup *metadata = ini->GetGroup("metadata");
+		IniGroup *metadata = ini.GetGroup("metadata");
 		IniItem *item;
 
 		fetch_metadata("palette");
diff --git a/src/hotkeys.cpp b/src/hotkeys.cpp
index 478d2ca233..8356f0810c 100644
--- a/src/hotkeys.cpp
+++ b/src/hotkeys.cpp
@@ -274,9 +274,9 @@ HotkeyList::~HotkeyList()
  * Load HotkeyList from IniFile.
  * @param ini IniFile to load from.
  */
-void HotkeyList::Load(IniFile *ini)
+void HotkeyList::Load(IniFile &ini)
 {
-	IniGroup *group = ini->GetGroup(this->ini_group);
+	IniGroup *group = ini.GetGroup(this->ini_group);
 	for (Hotkey &hotkey : this->items) {
 		IniItem *item = group->GetItem(hotkey.name);
 		if (item != nullptr) {
@@ -290,9 +290,9 @@ void HotkeyList::Load(IniFile *ini)
  * Save HotkeyList to IniFile.
  * @param ini IniFile to save to.
  */
-void HotkeyList::Save(IniFile *ini) const
+void HotkeyList::Save(IniFile &ini) const
 {
-	IniGroup *group = ini->GetGroup(this->ini_group);
+	IniGroup *group = ini.GetGroup(this->ini_group);
 	for (const Hotkey &hotkey : this->items) {
 		IniItem &item = group->GetOrCreateItem(hotkey.name);
 		item.SetValue(SaveKeycodes(hotkey));
@@ -320,8 +320,8 @@ int HotkeyList::CheckMatch(uint16_t keycode, bool global_only) const
 
 static void SaveLoadHotkeys(bool save)
 {
-	IniFile *ini = new IniFile();
-	ini->LoadFromDisk(_hotkeys_file, NO_DIRECTORY);
+	IniFile ini{};
+	ini.LoadFromDisk(_hotkeys_file, NO_DIRECTORY);
 
 	for (HotkeyList *list : *_hotkey_lists) {
 		if (save) {
@@ -331,8 +331,7 @@ static void SaveLoadHotkeys(bool save)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (save) ini->SaveToDisk(_hotkeys_file);
-	delete ini;
+	if (save) ini.SaveToDisk(_hotkeys_file);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/hotkeys.h b/src/hotkeys.h
index 1d5360a84d..4508500268 100644
--- a/src/hotkeys.h
+++ b/src/hotkeys.h
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ struct HotkeyList {
 	HotkeyList(const std::string &ini_group, const std::vector<Hotkey> &items, GlobalHotkeyHandlerFunc global_hotkey_handler = nullptr);
 	~HotkeyList();
 
-	void Load(IniFile *ini);
-	void Save(IniFile *ini) const;
+	void Load(IniFile &ini);
+	void Save(IniFile &ini) const;
 
 	int CheckMatch(uint16_t keycode, bool global_only = false) const;
 
diff --git a/src/music.cpp b/src/music.cpp
index d642f9b4cc..570eedcf2a 100644
--- a/src/music.cpp
+++ b/src/music.cpp
@@ -116,14 +116,14 @@ template <class Tbase_set>
 	return BaseMedia<Tbase_set>::used_set != nullptr;
 }
 
-bool MusicSet::FillSetDetails(IniFile *ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename)
+bool MusicSet::FillSetDetails(IniFile &ini, const std::string &path, const std::string &full_filename)
 {
 	bool ret = this->BaseSet<MusicSet, NUM_SONGS_AVAILABLE, false>::FillSetDetails(ini, path, full_filename);
 	if (ret) {
 		this->num_available = 0;
-		IniGroup *names = ini->GetGroup("names");
-		IniGroup *catindex = ini->GetGroup("catindex");
-		IniGroup *timingtrim = ini->GetGroup("timingtrim");
+		IniGroup *names = ini.GetGroup("names");
+		IniGroup *catindex = ini.GetGroup("catindex");
+		IniGroup *timingtrim = ini.GetGroup("timingtrim");
 		uint tracknr = 1;
 		for (uint i = 0; i < lengthof(this->songinfo); i++) {
 			const std::string &filename = this->files[i].filename;
diff --git a/src/settingsgen/settingsgen.cpp b/src/settingsgen/settingsgen.cpp
index 246e06201a..3eb0789e82 100644
--- a/src/settingsgen/settingsgen.cpp
+++ b/src/settingsgen/settingsgen.cpp
@@ -188,28 +188,14 @@ static const char *TEMPLATES_GROUP_NAME = "templates"; ///< Name of the group co
 static const char *VALIDATION_GROUP_NAME = "validation"; ///< Name of the group containing the validation statements.
 static const char *DEFAULTS_GROUP_NAME  = "defaults"; ///< Name of the group containing default values for the template variables.
 
-/**
- * Load the INI file.
- * @param filename Name of the file to load.
- * @return         Loaded INI data.
- */
-static IniLoadFile *LoadIniFile(const char *filename)
-{
-	static const char * const seq_groups[] = {PREAMBLE_GROUP_NAME, POSTAMBLE_GROUP_NAME, nullptr};
-
-	IniLoadFile *ini = new SettingsIniFile(nullptr, seq_groups);
-	ini->LoadFromDisk(filename, NO_DIRECTORY);
-	return ini;
-}
-
 /**
  * Dump a #IGT_SEQUENCE group into #_stored_output.
  * @param ifile      Loaded INI data.
  * @param group_name Name of the group to copy.
  */
-static void DumpGroup(IniLoadFile *ifile, const char * const group_name)
+static void DumpGroup(IniLoadFile &ifile, const char * const group_name)
 {
-	IniGroup *grp = ifile->GetGroup(group_name, false);
+	IniGroup *grp = ifile.GetGroup(group_name, false);
 	if (grp != nullptr && grp->type == IGT_SEQUENCE) {
 		for (IniItem *item = grp->item; item != nullptr; item = item->next) {
 			if (!item->name.empty()) {
@@ -306,17 +292,17 @@ static void DumpLine(IniItem *item, IniGroup *grp, IniGroup *default_grp, Output
  * Output all non-special sections through the template / template variable expansion system.
  * @param ifile Loaded INI data.
  */
-static void DumpSections(IniLoadFile *ifile)
+static void DumpSections(IniLoadFile &ifile)
 {
 	static const char * const special_group_names[] = {PREAMBLE_GROUP_NAME, POSTAMBLE_GROUP_NAME, DEFAULTS_GROUP_NAME, TEMPLATES_GROUP_NAME, VALIDATION_GROUP_NAME, nullptr};
 
-	IniGroup *default_grp = ifile->GetGroup(DEFAULTS_GROUP_NAME, false);
-	IniGroup *templates_grp  = ifile->GetGroup(TEMPLATES_GROUP_NAME, false);
-	IniGroup *validation_grp  = ifile->GetGroup(VALIDATION_GROUP_NAME, false);
+	IniGroup *default_grp = ifile.GetGroup(DEFAULTS_GROUP_NAME, false);
+	IniGroup *templates_grp = ifile.GetGroup(TEMPLATES_GROUP_NAME, false);
+	IniGroup *validation_grp = ifile.GetGroup(VALIDATION_GROUP_NAME, false);
 	if (templates_grp == nullptr) return;
 
 	/* Output every group, using its name as template name. */
-	for (IniGroup *grp = ifile->group; grp != nullptr; grp = grp->next) {
+	for (IniGroup *grp = ifile.group; grp != nullptr; grp = grp->next) {
 		const char * const *sgn;
 		for (sgn = special_group_names; *sgn != nullptr; sgn++) if (grp->name == *sgn) break;
 		if (*sgn != nullptr) continue;
@@ -430,11 +416,14 @@ static const OptionData _opts[] = {
  */
 static void ProcessIniFile(const char *fname)
 {
-	IniLoadFile *ini_data = LoadIniFile(fname);
-	DumpGroup(ini_data, PREAMBLE_GROUP_NAME);
-	DumpSections(ini_data);
-	DumpGroup(ini_data, POSTAMBLE_GROUP_NAME);
-	delete ini_data;
+	static const char * const seq_groups[] = {PREAMBLE_GROUP_NAME, POSTAMBLE_GROUP_NAME, nullptr};
+
+	SettingsIniFile ini{nullptr, seq_groups};
+	ini.LoadFromDisk(fname, NO_DIRECTORY);
+
+	DumpGroup(ini, PREAMBLE_GROUP_NAME);
+	DumpSections(ini);
+	DumpGroup(ini, POSTAMBLE_GROUP_NAME);
 }
 
 /**