---
description: "Learn more about: Warning C26402 DONT_HEAP_ALLOCATE_MOVABLE_RESULT"
title: Warning C26402
ms.date: 08/20/2020
f1_keywords: ["C26402", "DONT_HEAP_ALLOCATE_MOVABLE_RESULT"]
helpviewer_keywords: ["C26402"]
ms.assetid: b9d3d398-697a-4a5d-8bfe-9c667dffb90b
---
# Warning C26402

> `Return a scoped object instead of a heap-allocated if it has a move constructor (r.3).`

## Remarks

To avoid confusion about whether a pointer owns an object, a function that returns a movable object should allocate it on the stack. It should then return the object by value instead of returning a heap-allocated object. If pointer semantics are required, return a smart pointer instead of a raw pointer. For more information, see [C++ Core Guidelines R.3](https://github.com/isocpp/CppCoreGuidelines/blob/master/CppCoreGuidelines.md#Rr-ptr): *Warn if a function returns an object that was allocated within the function but has a move constructor. Suggest considering returning it by value instead.*

## Example

This example shows a `bad_example` function that raises warning C26409. It also shows how function `good_example` doesn't cause this issue.

```cpp
// C26402.cpp

struct S
{
    S() = default;
    S(S&& s) = default;
};

S* bad_example()
{
    S* s = new S(); // C26409, avoid explicitly calling new.
    // ...
    return s; // C26402
}

// Prefer returning objects with move contructors by value instead of unnecessarily heap-allocating the object.
S good_example() noexcept
{
    S s;
    // ...
    return s;
}
```