diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/wallDist/wallDistData.C b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/wallDist/wallDistData.C
index c7b9debba8..ebe0aa16ee 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/wallDist/wallDistData.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fvMesh/wallDist/wallDistData.C
@@ -83,11 +83,11 @@ void Foam::wallDistData<TransferType>::correct()
     labelHashSet wallPatchIDs(getPatchIDs(wallPolyPatch::typeName));
 
     // Collect pointers to data on patches
-    List<Field<Type>*> patchData(mesh.boundaryMesh().size());
+    UPtrList<Field<Type> > patchData(mesh.boundaryMesh().size());
 
     forAll(field_.boundaryField(), patchI)
     {
-        patchData[patchI] = &(field_.boundaryField()[patchI]);
+        patchData.set(patchI, &field_.boundaryField()[patchI]);
     }
 
     // Do mesh wave
diff --git a/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.C b/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.C
index 4d196fb1e9..beb76631c5 100644
--- a/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.C
+++ b/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.C
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ License
     along with OpenFOAM; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
     Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
 
-Description
-
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 #include "patchDataWave.H"
@@ -50,8 +48,7 @@ void Foam::patchDataWave<TransferType>::setChangedFaces
         {
             const polyPatch& patch = mesh.boundaryMesh()[patchI];
 
-            const Field<Type>& patchField =
-                *initialPatchValuePtrs_[patchI];
+            const Field<Type>& patchField = initialPatchValuePtrs_[patchI];
 
             forAll(patch.faceCentres(), patchFaceI)
             {
@@ -176,7 +173,7 @@ Foam::patchDataWave<TransferType>::patchDataWave
 (
     const polyMesh& mesh,
     const labelHashSet& patchIDs,
-    const List<Field<Type>*>& initialPatchValuePtrs,
+    const UPtrList<Field<Type> >& initialPatchValuePtrs,
     const bool correctWalls
 )
 :
diff --git a/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.H b/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.H
index be7aae205f..241c378310 100644
--- a/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.H
+++ b/src/meshTools/cellDist/patchWave/patchDataWave.H
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ SourceFiles
 
 #include "cellDistFuncs.H"
 #include "FieldField.H"
-
+#include "UPtrList.H"
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ private:
         labelHashSet patchIDs_;
 
         //- Reference to initial extra data at patch faces
-        const List<Field<Type>*>& initialPatchValuePtrs_;
+        const UPtrList<Field<Type> >& initialPatchValuePtrs_;
 
         //- Do accurate distance calculation for near-wall cells.
         bool correctWalls_;
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public:
         (
             const polyMesh& mesh,
             const labelHashSet& patchIDs,
-            const List<Field<Type>*>& initialPatchValuePtrs,
+            const UPtrList<Field<Type> >& initialPatchValuePtrs,
             bool correctWalls = true
         );