diff --git a/include/input/VirtualKeyMap.h b/include/input/VirtualKeyMap.h
index 24e0e0e..4f7cfb6 100644
--- a/include/input/VirtualKeyMap.h
+++ b/include/input/VirtualKeyMap.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 public:
     ~VirtualKeyMap();
 
-    static status_t load(const std::string& filename, VirtualKeyMap** outMap);
+    static std::unique_ptr<VirtualKeyMap> load(const std::string& filename);
 
     inline const Vector<VirtualKeyDefinition>& getVirtualKeys() const {
         return mVirtualKeys;
diff --git a/libs/input/VirtualKeyMap.cpp b/libs/input/VirtualKeyMap.cpp
index 3ec53bf..624f152 100644
--- a/libs/input/VirtualKeyMap.cpp
+++ b/libs/input/VirtualKeyMap.cpp
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@
 // Enables debug output for the parser.
 #define DEBUG_PARSER 0
 
-// Enables debug output for parser performance.
-#define DEBUG_PARSER_PERFORMANCE 0
-
-
 namespace android {
 
 static const char* WHITESPACE = " \t\r";
@@ -46,39 +42,28 @@
 VirtualKeyMap::~VirtualKeyMap() {
 }
 
-status_t VirtualKeyMap::load(const std::string& filename, VirtualKeyMap** outMap) {
-    *outMap = nullptr;
-
-    Tokenizer* tokenizer;
-    status_t status = Tokenizer::open(String8(filename.c_str()), &tokenizer);
-    if (status) {
+std::unique_ptr<VirtualKeyMap> VirtualKeyMap::load(const std::string& filename) {
+    Tokenizer* t;
+    status_t status = Tokenizer::open(String8(filename.c_str()), &t);
+    if (status != OK) {
         ALOGE("Error %d opening virtual key map file %s.", status, filename.c_str());
-    } else {
-        VirtualKeyMap* map = new VirtualKeyMap();
-        if (!map) {
-            ALOGE("Error allocating virtual key map.");
-            status = NO_MEMORY;
-        } else {
-#if DEBUG_PARSER_PERFORMANCE
-            nsecs_t startTime = systemTime(SYSTEM_TIME_MONOTONIC);
-#endif
-            Parser parser(map, tokenizer);
-            status = parser.parse();
-#if DEBUG_PARSER_PERFORMANCE
-            nsecs_t elapsedTime = systemTime(SYSTEM_TIME_MONOTONIC) - startTime;
-            ALOGD("Parsed key character map file '%s' %d lines in %0.3fms.",
-                    tokenizer->getFilename().string(), tokenizer->getLineNumber(),
-                    elapsedTime / 1000000.0);
-#endif
-            if (status) {
-                delete map;
-            } else {
-                *outMap = map;
-            }
-        }
-        delete tokenizer;
+        return nullptr;
     }
-    return status;
+    std::unique_ptr<Tokenizer> tokenizer(t);
+    // Using 'new' to access a non-public constructor
+    std::unique_ptr<VirtualKeyMap> map(new VirtualKeyMap());
+    if (!map) {
+        ALOGE("Error allocating virtual key map.");
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    Parser parser(map.get(), tokenizer.get());
+    status = parser.parse();
+    if (status != OK) {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    return map;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/services/inputflinger/EventHub.cpp b/services/inputflinger/EventHub.cpp
index c13bac6..4735643 100644
--- a/services/inputflinger/EventHub.cpp
+++ b/services/inputflinger/EventHub.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,6 @@
 EventHub::Device::~Device() {
     close();
     delete configuration;
-    delete virtualKeyMap;
 }
 
 void EventHub::Device::close() {
@@ -1364,8 +1363,8 @@
     if ((device->classes & INPUT_DEVICE_CLASS_TOUCH)) {
         // Load the virtual keys for the touch screen, if any.
         // We do this now so that we can make sure to load the keymap if necessary.
-        status_t status = loadVirtualKeyMapLocked(device);
-        if (!status) {
+        bool success = loadVirtualKeyMapLocked(device);
+        if (success) {
             device->classes |= INPUT_DEVICE_CLASS_KEYBOARD;
         }
     }
@@ -1614,15 +1613,16 @@
     }
 }
 
-status_t EventHub::loadVirtualKeyMapLocked(Device* device) {
+bool EventHub::loadVirtualKeyMapLocked(Device* device) {
     // The virtual key map is supplied by the kernel as a system board property file.
     std::string path;
     path += "/sys/board_properties/virtualkeys.";
     path += device->identifier.name;
     if (access(path.c_str(), R_OK)) {
-        return NAME_NOT_FOUND;
+        return false;
     }
-    return VirtualKeyMap::load(path, &device->virtualKeyMap);
+    device->virtualKeyMap = VirtualKeyMap::load(path);
+    return device->virtualKeyMap != nullptr;
 }
 
 status_t EventHub::loadKeyMapLocked(Device* device) {
diff --git a/services/inputflinger/EventHub.h b/services/inputflinger/EventHub.h
index d176648..44f7b37 100644
--- a/services/inputflinger/EventHub.h
+++ b/services/inputflinger/EventHub.h
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@
 
         std::string configurationFile;
         PropertyMap* configuration;
-        VirtualKeyMap* virtualKeyMap;
+        std::unique_ptr<VirtualKeyMap> virtualKeyMap;
         KeyMap keyMap;
 
         sp<KeyCharacterMap> overlayKeyMap;
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@
     bool hasKeycodeLocked(Device* device, int keycode) const;
 
     void loadConfigurationLocked(Device* device);
-    status_t loadVirtualKeyMapLocked(Device* device);
+    bool loadVirtualKeyMapLocked(Device* device);
     status_t loadKeyMapLocked(Device* device);
 
     bool isExternalDeviceLocked(Device* device);