diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
index d3f253fb74..b2fca313c4 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.cpp
@@ -170,11 +170,11 @@ NetPlayClient::NetPlayClient(const std::string& address, const u16 port, NetPlay
 bool NetPlayClient::Connect()
 {
   // send connect message
-  sf::Packet spac;
-  spac << scm_rev_git_str;
-  spac << netplay_dolphin_ver;
-  spac << m_player_name;
-  Send(spac);
+  sf::Packet packet;
+  packet << scm_rev_git_str;
+  packet << netplay_dolphin_ver;
+  packet << m_player_name;
+  Send(packet);
   enet_host_flush(m_client);
   sf::Packet rpac;
   // TODO: make this not hang
@@ -368,15 +368,15 @@ unsigned int NetPlayClient::OnData(sf::Packet& packet)
     // update gui
     m_dialog->OnMsgChangeGame(m_selected_game);
 
-    sf::Packet spac;
-    spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_GAME_STATUS);
+    sf::Packet packet;
+    packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_GAME_STATUS);
 
     PlayerGameStatus status = m_dialog->FindGame(m_selected_game).empty() ?
                                   PlayerGameStatus::NotFound :
                                   PlayerGameStatus::Ok;
 
-    spac << static_cast<u32>(status);
-    Send(spac);
+    packet << static_cast<u32>(status);
+    Send(packet);
   }
   break;
 
@@ -445,11 +445,11 @@ unsigned int NetPlayClient::OnData(sf::Packet& packet)
     u32 ping_key = 0;
     packet >> ping_key;
 
-    sf::Packet spac;
-    spac << (MessageId)NP_MSG_PONG;
-    spac << ping_key;
+    sf::Packet packet;
+    packet << (MessageId)NP_MSG_PONG;
+    packet << ping_key;
 
-    Send(spac);
+    Send(packet);
   }
   break;
 
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ void NetPlayClient::Disconnect()
   m_server = nullptr;
 }
 
-void NetPlayClient::SendAsync(std::unique_ptr<sf::Packet> packet)
+void NetPlayClient::SendAsync(sf::Packet&& packet)
 {
   {
     std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> lkq(m_crit.async_queue_write);
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ void NetPlayClient::ThreadFunc()
     net = enet_host_service(m_client, &netEvent, 250);
     while (!m_async_queue.Empty())
     {
-      Send(*(m_async_queue.Front().get()));
+      Send(m_async_queue.Front());
       m_async_queue.Pop();
     }
     if (net > 0)
@@ -733,57 +733,57 @@ std::vector<const Player*> NetPlayClient::GetPlayers()
 // called from ---GUI--- thread
 void NetPlayClient::SendChatMessage(const std::string& msg)
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_CHAT_MESSAGE);
-  *spac << msg;
+  sf::Packet packet;
+  packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_CHAT_MESSAGE);
+  packet << msg;
 
-  SendAsync(std::move(spac));
+  SendAsync(std::move(packet));
 }
 
 // called from ---CPU--- thread
 void NetPlayClient::SendPadState(const int in_game_pad, const GCPadStatus& pad)
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_PAD_DATA);
-  *spac << static_cast<PadMapping>(in_game_pad);
-  *spac << pad.button << pad.analogA << pad.analogB << pad.stickX << pad.stickY << pad.substickX
-        << pad.substickY << pad.triggerLeft << pad.triggerRight;
+  sf::Packet packet;
+  packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_PAD_DATA);
+  packet << static_cast<PadMapping>(in_game_pad);
+  packet << pad.button << pad.analogA << pad.analogB << pad.stickX << pad.stickY << pad.substickX
+         << pad.substickY << pad.triggerLeft << pad.triggerRight;
 
-  SendAsync(std::move(spac));
+  SendAsync(std::move(packet));
 }
 
 // called from ---CPU--- thread
 void NetPlayClient::SendWiimoteState(const int in_game_pad, const NetWiimote& nw)
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_WIIMOTE_DATA);
-  *spac << static_cast<PadMapping>(in_game_pad);
-  *spac << static_cast<u8>(nw.size());
+  sf::Packet packet;
+  packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_WIIMOTE_DATA);
+  packet << static_cast<PadMapping>(in_game_pad);
+  packet << static_cast<u8>(nw.size());
   for (auto it : nw)
   {
-    *spac << it;
+    packet << it;
   }
 
-  SendAsync(std::move(spac));
+  SendAsync(std::move(packet));
 }
 
 // called from ---GUI--- thread
 void NetPlayClient::SendStartGamePacket()
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_START_GAME);
-  *spac << m_current_game;
+  sf::Packet packet;
+  packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_START_GAME);
+  packet << m_current_game;
 
-  SendAsync(std::move(spac));
+  SendAsync(std::move(packet));
 }
 
 // called from ---GUI--- thread
 void NetPlayClient::SendStopGamePacket()
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_STOP_GAME);
+  sf::Packet packet;
+  packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_STOP_GAME);
 
-  SendAsync(std::move(spac));
+  SendAsync(std::move(packet));
 }
 
 // called from ---GUI--- thread
@@ -1193,13 +1193,13 @@ void NetPlayClient::SendTimeBase()
 
   u64 timebase = SystemTimers::GetFakeTimeBase();
 
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_TIMEBASE);
-  *spac << static_cast<u32>(timebase);
-  *spac << static_cast<u32>(timebase << 32);
-  *spac << netplay_client->m_timebase_frame++;
+  sf::Packet packet;
+  packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_TIMEBASE);
+  packet << static_cast<u32>(timebase);
+  packet << static_cast<u32>(timebase << 32);
+  packet << netplay_client->m_timebase_frame++;
 
-  netplay_client->SendAsync(std::move(spac));
+  netplay_client->SendAsync(std::move(packet));
 }
 
 bool NetPlayClient::DoAllPlayersHaveGame()
@@ -1226,27 +1226,27 @@ void NetPlayClient::ComputeMD5(const std::string& file_identifier)
 
   if (file.empty() || !File::Exists(file))
   {
-    sf::Packet spac;
-    spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_ERROR);
-    spac << "file not found";
-    Send(spac);
+    sf::Packet packet;
+    packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_ERROR);
+    packet << "file not found";
+    Send(packet);
     return;
   }
 
   m_MD5_thread = std::thread([this, file]() {
     std::string sum = MD5::MD5Sum(file, [&](int progress) {
-      sf::Packet spac;
-      spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_PROGRESS);
-      spac << progress;
-      Send(spac);
+      sf::Packet packet;
+      packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_PROGRESS);
+      packet << progress;
+      Send(packet);
 
       return m_should_compute_MD5;
     });
 
-    sf::Packet spac;
-    spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_RESULT);
-    spac << sum;
-    Send(spac);
+    sf::Packet packet;
+    packet << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_RESULT);
+    packet << sum;
+    Send(packet);
   });
   m_MD5_thread.detach();
 }
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.h b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.h
index 6e7f06c11b..5b9907319a 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayClient.h
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include <SFML/Network/Packet.hpp>
 #include <array>
 #include <map>
-#include <memory>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <string>
 #include <thread>
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ class NetPlayClient : public TraversalClientClient
 {
 public:
   void ThreadFunc();
-  void SendAsync(std::unique_ptr<sf::Packet> packet);
+  void SendAsync(sf::Packet&& packet);
 
   NetPlayClient(const std::string& address, const u16 port, NetPlayUI* dialog,
                 const std::string& name, bool traversal, const std::string& centralServer,
@@ -111,7 +110,7 @@ protected:
     std::recursive_mutex async_queue_write;
   } m_crit;
 
-  Common::FifoQueue<std::unique_ptr<sf::Packet>, false> m_async_queue;
+  Common::FifoQueue<sf::Packet, false> m_async_queue;
 
   std::array<Common::FifoQueue<GCPadStatus>, 4> m_pad_buffer;
   std::array<Common::FifoQueue<NetWiimote>, 4> m_wiimote_buffer;
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.cpp b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.cpp
index 19680ade8b..c5da53ca94 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ void NetPlayServer::ThreadFunc()
     {
       {
         std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> lkp(m_crit.players);
-        SendToClients(*(m_async_queue.Front().get()));
+        SendToClients(m_async_queue.Front());
       }
       m_async_queue.Pop();
     }
@@ -456,14 +456,14 @@ void NetPlayServer::AdjustPadBufferSize(unsigned int size)
   m_target_buffer_size = size;
 
   // tell clients to change buffer size
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_PAD_BUFFER);
-  *spac << static_cast<u32>(m_target_buffer_size);
+  sf::Packet spac;
+  spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_PAD_BUFFER);
+  spac << static_cast<u32>(m_target_buffer_size);
 
   SendAsyncToClients(std::move(spac));
 }
 
-void NetPlayServer::SendAsyncToClients(std::unique_ptr<sf::Packet> packet)
+void NetPlayServer::SendAsyncToClients(sf::Packet&& packet)
 {
   {
     std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> lkq(m_crit.async_queue_write);
@@ -723,10 +723,10 @@ void NetPlayServer::OnTraversalStateChanged()
 // called from ---GUI--- thread
 void NetPlayServer::SendChatMessage(const std::string& msg)
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_CHAT_MESSAGE);
-  *spac << static_cast<PlayerId>(0);  // server id always 0
-  *spac << msg;
+  sf::Packet spac;
+  spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_CHAT_MESSAGE);
+  spac << static_cast<PlayerId>(0);  // server id always 0
+  spac << msg;
 
   SendAsyncToClients(std::move(spac));
 }
@@ -739,9 +739,9 @@ bool NetPlayServer::ChangeGame(const std::string& game)
   m_selected_game = game;
 
   // send changed game to clients
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_CHANGE_GAME);
-  *spac << game;
+  sf::Packet spac;
+  spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_CHANGE_GAME);
+  spac << game;
 
   SendAsyncToClients(std::move(spac));
 
@@ -751,9 +751,9 @@ bool NetPlayServer::ChangeGame(const std::string& game)
 // called from ---GUI--- thread
 bool NetPlayServer::ComputeMD5(const std::string& file_identifier)
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_COMPUTE_MD5);
-  *spac << file_identifier;
+  sf::Packet spac;
+  spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_COMPUTE_MD5);
+  spac << file_identifier;
 
   SendAsyncToClients(std::move(spac));
 
@@ -763,8 +763,8 @@ bool NetPlayServer::ComputeMD5(const std::string& file_identifier)
 // called from ---GUI--- thread
 bool NetPlayServer::AbortMD5()
 {
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_ABORT);
+  sf::Packet spac;
+  spac << static_cast<MessageId>(NP_MSG_MD5_ABORT);
 
   SendAsyncToClients(std::move(spac));
 
@@ -794,26 +794,26 @@ bool NetPlayServer::StartGame()
     g_netplay_initial_rtc = Common::Timer::GetLocalTimeSinceJan1970();
 
   // tell clients to start game
-  auto spac = std::make_unique<sf::Packet>();
-  *spac << (MessageId)NP_MSG_START_GAME;
-  *spac << m_current_game;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_CPUthread;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_CPUcore;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_EnableCheats;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_SelectedLanguage;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_OverrideGCLanguage;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_ProgressiveScan;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_PAL60;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_DSPEnableJIT;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_DSPHLE;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_WriteToMemcard;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_CopyWiiSave;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_OCEnable;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_OCFactor;
-  *spac << m_settings.m_EXIDevice[0];
-  *spac << m_settings.m_EXIDevice[1];
-  *spac << (u32)g_netplay_initial_rtc;
-  *spac << (u32)(g_netplay_initial_rtc >> 32);
+  sf::Packet spac;
+  spac << (MessageId)NP_MSG_START_GAME;
+  spac << m_current_game;
+  spac << m_settings.m_CPUthread;
+  spac << m_settings.m_CPUcore;
+  spac << m_settings.m_EnableCheats;
+  spac << m_settings.m_SelectedLanguage;
+  spac << m_settings.m_OverrideGCLanguage;
+  spac << m_settings.m_ProgressiveScan;
+  spac << m_settings.m_PAL60;
+  spac << m_settings.m_DSPEnableJIT;
+  spac << m_settings.m_DSPHLE;
+  spac << m_settings.m_WriteToMemcard;
+  spac << m_settings.m_CopyWiiSave;
+  spac << m_settings.m_OCEnable;
+  spac << m_settings.m_OCFactor;
+  spac << m_settings.m_EXIDevice[0];
+  spac << m_settings.m_EXIDevice[1];
+  spac << (u32)g_netplay_initial_rtc;
+  spac << (u32)(g_netplay_initial_rtc >> 32);
 
   SendAsyncToClients(std::move(spac));
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.h b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.h
index 1e356cd271..33829d5669 100644
--- a/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.h
+++ b/Source/Core/Core/NetPlayServer.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class NetPlayServer : public TraversalClientClient
 {
 public:
   void ThreadFunc();
-  void SendAsyncToClients(std::unique_ptr<sf::Packet> packet);
+  void SendAsyncToClients(sf::Packet&& packet);
 
   NetPlayServer(const u16 port, bool traversal, const std::string& centralServer, u16 centralPort);
   ~NetPlayServer();
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ private:
 
   std::string m_selected_game;
   std::thread m_thread;
-  Common::FifoQueue<std::unique_ptr<sf::Packet>, false> m_async_queue;
+  Common::FifoQueue<sf::Packet, false> m_async_queue;
 
   ENetHost* m_server = nullptr;
   TraversalClient* m_traversal_client = nullptr;