diff --git a/gc_sections.cc b/gc_sections.cc
index af4bfb01..f5ccefef 100644
--- a/gc_sections.cc
+++ b/gc_sections.cc
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ collect_root_set(Context<E> &ctx) {
 
   // Add sections that are not subject to garbage collection.
   tbb::parallel_for_each(ctx.objs, [&](ObjectFile<E> *file) {
-    for (InputSection<E> *isec : file->sections) {
-      if (!isec)
+    for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : file->sections) {
+      if (!isec || !isec->is_alive)
         continue;
 
       // -gc-sections discards only SHF_ALLOC sections. If you want to
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ collect_root_set(Context<E> &ctx) {
         isec->is_visited = true;
 
       if (is_init_fini(*isec) || isec->shdr.sh_type == SHT_NOTE)
-        enqueue_section(isec);
+        enqueue_section(isec.get());
     }
   });
 
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ static void sweep(Context<E> &ctx) {
 
   tbb::parallel_for_each(ctx.objs, [&](ObjectFile<E> *file) {
     for (i64 i = 0; i < file->sections.size(); i++) {
-      InputSection<E> *isec = file->sections[i];
+      std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec = file->sections[i];
 
       if (isec && isec->is_alive && !isec->is_visited) {
         if (ctx.arg.print_gc_sections)
diff --git a/icf.cc b/icf.cc
index 19fd1700..527ca17f 100644
--- a/icf.cc
+++ b/icf.cc
@@ -184,8 +184,8 @@ static void merge_leaf_nodes(Context<E> &ctx) {
                                 LeafHasher<E>, LeafEq<E>> map;
 
   tbb::parallel_for((i64)0, (i64)ctx.objs.size(), [&](i64 i) {
-    for (InputSection<E> *isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections) {
-      if (!isec)
+    for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections) {
+      if (!isec || !isec->is_alive)
         continue;
 
       if (!is_eligible(*isec)) {
@@ -196,9 +196,9 @@ static void merge_leaf_nodes(Context<E> &ctx) {
       if (is_leaf(ctx, *isec)) {
         leaf++;
         isec->icf_leaf = true;
-        auto [it, inserted] = map.insert({isec, isec});
+        auto [it, inserted] = map.insert({isec.get(), isec.get()});
         if (!inserted && isec->get_priority() < it->second->get_priority())
-          it->second = isec;
+          it->second = isec.get();
       } else {
         eligible++;
         isec->icf_eligible = true;
@@ -207,9 +207,9 @@ static void merge_leaf_nodes(Context<E> &ctx) {
   });
 
   tbb::parallel_for((i64)0, (i64)ctx.objs.size(), [&](i64 i) {
-    for (InputSection<E> *isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections) {
-      if (isec && isec->icf_leaf) {
-        auto it = map.find(isec);
+    for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections) {
+      if (isec && isec->is_alive && isec->icf_leaf) {
+        auto it = map.find(isec.get());
         assert(it != map.end());
         isec->leader = it->second;
       }
@@ -307,8 +307,8 @@ static std::vector<InputSection<E> *> gather_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
   std::vector<i64> num_sections(ctx.objs.size());
 
   tbb::parallel_for((i64)0, (i64)ctx.objs.size(), [&](i64 i) {
-    for (InputSection<E> *isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections)
-      if (isec && isec->icf_eligible)
+    for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections)
+      if (isec && isec->is_alive && isec->icf_eligible)
         num_sections[i]++;
   });
 
@@ -322,9 +322,9 @@ static std::vector<InputSection<E> *> gather_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
   // Fill `sections` contents.
   tbb::parallel_for((i64)0, (i64)ctx.objs.size(), [&](i64 i) {
     i64 idx = section_indices[i];
-    for (InputSection<E> *isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections)
-      if (isec && isec->icf_eligible)
-        sections[idx++] = isec;
+    for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : ctx.objs[i]->sections)
+      if (isec && isec->is_alive && isec->icf_eligible)
+        sections[idx++] = isec.get();
   });
 
   tbb::parallel_for((i64)0, (i64)sections.size(), [&](i64 i) {
@@ -444,12 +444,12 @@ static void print_icf_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
   tbb::concurrent_unordered_multimap<InputSection<E> *, InputSection<E> *> map;
 
   tbb::parallel_for_each(ctx.objs, [&](ObjectFile<E> *file) {
-    for (InputSection<E> *isec : file->sections) {
-      if (isec && isec->leader) {
-        if (isec == isec->leader)
-          leaders.push_back(isec);
+    for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : file->sections) {
+      if (isec && isec->is_alive && isec->leader) {
+        if (isec.get() == isec->leader)
+          leaders.push_back(isec.get());
         else
-          map.insert({isec->leader, isec});
+          map.insert({isec->leader, isec.get()});
       }
     }
   });
diff --git a/input_sections.cc b/input_sections.cc
index 8e1c3b04..f34f27ac 100644
--- a/input_sections.cc
+++ b/input_sections.cc
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ void InputSection<E>::kill() {
     is_alive = false;
     for (FdeRecord<E> &fde : fdes)
       fde.is_alive = false;
-    file.sections[section_idx] = nullptr;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 9f5fc477..e88ab35c 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ static void show_stats(Context<E> &ctx) {
     static Counter undefined("undefined_syms");
     undefined += obj->symbols.size() - obj->first_global;
 
-    for (InputSection<E> *sec : obj->sections) {
+    for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &sec : obj->sections) {
       if (!sec || !sec->is_alive)
         continue;
 
diff --git a/mold.h b/mold.h
index e84699ed..890948bc 100644
--- a/mold.h
+++ b/mold.h
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ public:
   inline std::span<Symbol<E> *> get_global_syms();
 
   std::string archive_name;
-  std::vector<InputSection<E> *> sections;
+  std::vector<std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>>> sections;
   std::span<ElfSym<E>> elf_syms;
   i64 first_global = 0;
   const bool is_in_lib = false;
@@ -1830,7 +1830,7 @@ inline i64 ObjectFile<E>::get_shndx(const ElfSym<E> &esym) {
 
 template <typename E>
 inline InputSection<E> *ObjectFile<E>::get_section(const ElfSym<E> &esym) {
-  return sections[get_shndx(esym)];
+  return sections[get_shndx(esym)].get();
 }
 
 template <typename E>
diff --git a/object_file.cc b/object_file.cc
index 79323779..cfd059c9 100644
--- a/object_file.cc
+++ b/object_file.cc
@@ -175,7 +175,8 @@ void ObjectFile<E>::initialize_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
           is_debug_section(shdr, name))
         continue;
 
-      this->sections[i] = new InputSection(ctx, *this, shdr, name, i);
+      this->sections[i] =
+        std::make_unique<InputSection<E>>(ctx, *this, shdr, name, i);
 
       static Counter counter("regular_sections");
       counter++;
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ void ObjectFile<E>::initialize_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
       Fatal(ctx) << *this << ": invalid relocated section index: "
                  << (u32)shdr.sh_info;
 
-    if (InputSection<E> *target = sections[shdr.sh_info]) {
+    if (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &target = sections[shdr.sh_info]) {
       assert(target->relsec_idx == -1);
       target->relsec_idx = i;
 
@@ -209,11 +210,11 @@ void ObjectFile<E>::initialize_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
 template <typename E>
 void ObjectFile<E>::initialize_ehframe_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
   for (i64 i = 0; i < sections.size(); i++) {
-    InputSection<E> *isec = sections[i];
-    if (isec && isec->name == ".eh_frame") {
+    std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec = sections[i];
+    if (isec && isec->is_alive && isec->name == ".eh_frame") {
       read_ehframe(ctx, *isec);
       isec->is_ehframe = true;
-      sections[i] = nullptr;
+      isec->is_alive = false;
     }
   }
 }
@@ -535,17 +536,16 @@ void ObjectFile<E>::initialize_mergeable_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
   std::vector<MergeableSection<E>> mergeable_sections(sections.size());
 
   for (i64 i = 0; i < sections.size(); i++) {
-    if (InputSection<E> *isec = sections[i]) {
-      if (isec->shdr.sh_flags & SHF_MERGE) {
-        mergeable_sections[i] = split_section(ctx, *isec);
-        sections[i] = nullptr;
-      }
+    std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec = sections[i];
+    if (isec && isec->is_alive && (isec->shdr.sh_flags & SHF_MERGE)) {
+      mergeable_sections[i] = split_section(ctx, *isec);
+      isec->is_alive = false;
     }
   }
 
   // Initialize rel_fragments
-  for (InputSection<E> *isec : sections) {
-    if (!isec)
+  for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : sections) {
+    if (!isec || !isec->is_alive)
       continue;
 
     std::span<ElfRel<E>> rels = isec->get_rels(ctx);
@@ -872,8 +872,8 @@ void ObjectFile<E>::claim_unresolved_symbols() {
 template <typename E>
 void ObjectFile<E>::scan_relocations(Context<E> &ctx) {
   // Scan relocations against seciton contents
-  for (InputSection<E> *isec : sections)
-    if (isec && (isec->shdr.sh_flags & SHF_ALLOC))
+  for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : sections)
+    if (isec && isec->is_alive && (isec->shdr.sh_flags & SHF_ALLOC))
       isec->scan_relocations(ctx);
 
   // Scan relocations against exception frames
@@ -918,13 +918,13 @@ void ObjectFile<E>::convert_common_symbols(Context<E> &ctx) {
     shdr->sh_size = elf_syms[i].st_size;
     shdr->sh_addralign = sym->esym().st_value;
 
-    InputSection<E> *isec =
-      new InputSection(ctx, *this, *shdr, ".common", sections.size());
+    std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> isec =
+      std::make_unique<InputSection<E>>(ctx, *this, *shdr, ".common",
+                                        sections.size());
     isec->output_section = osec;
-    sections.push_back(isec);
-
-    sym->input_section = isec;
+    sym->input_section = isec.get();
     sym->value = 0;
+    sections.push_back(std::move(isec));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/passes.cc b/passes.cc
index f961cac4..e83ca8d4 100644
--- a/passes.cc
+++ b/passes.cc
@@ -271,9 +271,9 @@ void bin_sections(Context<E> &ctx) {
 
   tbb::parallel_for((i64)0, (i64)slices.size(), [&](i64 i) {
     for (ObjectFile<E> *file : slices[i])
-      for (InputSection<E> *isec : file->sections)
+      for (std::unique_ptr<InputSection<E>> &isec : file->sections)
         if (isec && isec->is_alive)
-          groups[i][isec->output_section->idx].push_back(isec);
+          groups[i][isec->output_section->idx].push_back(isec.get());
   });
 
   std::vector<i64> sizes(num_osec);
@@ -297,10 +297,15 @@ void check_duplicate_symbols(Context<E> &ctx) {
     for (i64 i = file->first_global; i < file->elf_syms.size(); i++) {
       const ElfSym<E> &esym = file->elf_syms[i];
       Symbol<E> &sym = *file->symbols[i];
+
       bool is_common = esym.is_common();
       bool is_weak = (esym.st_bind == STB_WEAK);
-      bool is_eliminated =
-        !esym.is_abs() && !esym.is_common() && !file->get_section(esym);
+      bool is_eliminated = false;
+
+      if (!esym.is_abs() && !esym.is_common())
+        if (InputSection<E> *isec = file->get_section(esym))
+          if (!isec->is_alive)
+            is_eliminated = true;
 
       if (sym.file != file && esym.is_defined() && !is_common &&
           !is_weak && !is_eliminated)