diff --git a/searchlib/src/apps/vespa-index-inspect/vespa-index-inspect.cpp b/searchlib/src/apps/vespa-index-inspect/vespa-index-inspect.cpp
index 5f7df8768394..1f123c3c8fca 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/apps/vespa-index-inspect/vespa-index-inspect.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/apps/vespa-index-inspect/vespa-index-inspect.cpp
@@ -570,14 +570,13 @@ ShowPostingListSubApp::showPostingList()
     handle->first = offsetAndCounts._counts;
     handle->second._bitOffset = offsetAndCounts._offset;
     handle->second._bitLength = handle->first._bitLength;
-    handle->second._file = postingfile.get();
-    handle->second._file->readPostingList(handle->second);
+    postingfile->readPostingList(handle->second);
     std::vector<TermFieldMatchData> tfmdv(numFields);
     TermFieldMatchDataArray tfmda;
     for (auto& tfmd : tfmdv) {
         tfmda.add(&tfmd);
     }
-    auto sb = handle->second.createIterator(handle->first, tfmda);
+    auto sb = postingfile->createIterator(handle->first, handle->second, tfmda);
     sb->initFullRange();
     uint32_t docId = 0;
     bool first = true;
diff --git a/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/diskindex/diskindex_test.cpp b/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/diskindex/diskindex_test.cpp
index bf69b3712ec0..759023dc4766 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/diskindex/diskindex_test.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/diskindex/diskindex_test.cpp
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ DiskIndexTest::requireThatWeCanReadPostingList()
     TermFieldMatchDataArray mda;
     { // field 'f1'
         LookupResult::UP r = _index->lookup(0, "w1");
-        PostingListHandle::UP h = _index->readPostingList(*r);
-        auto sb = h->createIterator(r->counts, mda);
+        auto h = _index->readPostingList(*r);
+        auto sb = _index->create_iterator(*r, *h, mda);
         EXPECT_EQ(SimpleResult({1,3}), SimpleResult().search(*sb));
     }
 }
diff --git a/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fieldwriter/fieldwriter_test.cpp b/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fieldwriter/fieldwriter_test.cpp
index 2ba7191e86f9..d332854ad248 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fieldwriter/fieldwriter_test.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fieldwriter/fieldwriter_test.cpp
@@ -505,7 +505,6 @@ randReadField(FakeWordSet &wordSet,
                 search::index::PostingListHandle handle;
 
                 handle._bitLength = counts._bitLength;
-                handle._file = postingFile;
                 handle._bitOffset = offsetAndCounts._offset;
 
                 postingFile->readPostingList(handle);
@@ -514,8 +513,7 @@ randReadField(FakeWordSet &wordSet,
                 TermFieldMatchDataArray tfmda;
                 tfmda.add(&mdfield1);
 
-                std::unique_ptr<SearchIterator>
-                    sb(handle.createIterator(counts, tfmda));
+                auto sb(postingFile->createIterator(counts, handle, tfmda));
 
                 // LOG(info, "loop=%d, wordNum=%u", loop, wordNum);
                 word->validate(sb.get(), tfmda, true, decode_interleaved_features, verbose);
diff --git a/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fusion/fusion_test.cpp b/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fusion/fusion_test.cpp
index e050efd3e21c..3a23f041e10c 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fusion/fusion_test.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/tests/diskindex/fusion/fusion_test.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ assert_interleaved_features(DiskIndex &d, const std::string &field, const std::s
 {
     using LookupResult = DiskIndex::LookupResult;
     using PostingListHandle = index::PostingListHandle;
-    using SearchIterator = search::queryeval::SearchIterator;
 
     const Schema &schema = d.getSchema();
     uint32_t field_id(schema.getIndexFieldId(field));
@@ -170,7 +169,7 @@ assert_interleaved_features(DiskIndex &d, const std::string &field, const std::s
     TermFieldMatchData tfmd;
     TermFieldMatchDataArray tfmda;
     tfmda.add(&tfmd);
-    std::unique_ptr<SearchIterator> sbap(handle->createIterator(lookup_result->counts, tfmda));
+    auto sbap(d.create_iterator(*lookup_result, *handle, tfmda));
     sbap->initFullRange();
     EXPECT_TRUE(sbap->seek(doc_id));
     sbap->unpack(doc_id);
@@ -181,22 +180,18 @@ assert_interleaved_features(DiskIndex &d, const std::string &field, const std::s
 void
 validateDiskIndex(DiskIndex &dw, bool f2HasElements, bool f3HasWeights)
 {
-    using LR = DiskIndex::LookupResult;
-    using PH = index::PostingListHandle;
-    using SB = search::queryeval::SearchIterator;
-
     const Schema &schema(dw.getSchema());
 
     {
         uint32_t id1(schema.getIndexFieldId("f0"));
-        LR::UP lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "c"));
+        auto lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "c"));
         ASSERT_TRUE(lr1);
-        PH::UP wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
+        auto wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
         ASSERT_TRUE(wh1);
         TermFieldMatchData f0;
         TermFieldMatchDataArray a;
         a.add(&f0);
-        SB::UP sbap(wh1->createIterator(lr1->counts, a));
+        auto sbap(dw.create_iterator(*lr1, *wh1, a));
         sbap->initFullRange();
         EXPECT_EQ(std::string("{1000000:}"), toString(f0.getIterator()));
         EXPECT_TRUE(sbap->seek(10));
@@ -205,14 +200,14 @@ validateDiskIndex(DiskIndex &dw, bool f2HasElements, bool f3HasWeights)
     }
     {
         uint32_t id1(schema.getIndexFieldId("f2"));
-        LR::UP lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "ax"));
+        auto lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "ax"));
         ASSERT_TRUE(lr1);
-        PH::UP wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
+        auto wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
         ASSERT_TRUE(wh1);
         TermFieldMatchData f2;
         TermFieldMatchDataArray a;
         a.add(&f2);
-        SB::UP sbap(wh1->createIterator(lr1->counts, a));
+        auto sbap(dw.create_iterator(*lr1, *wh1, a));
         sbap->initFullRange();
         EXPECT_EQ(std::string("{1000000:}"), toString(f2.getIterator()));
         EXPECT_TRUE(sbap->seek(10));
@@ -227,14 +222,14 @@ validateDiskIndex(DiskIndex &dw, bool f2HasElements, bool f3HasWeights)
     }
     {
         uint32_t id1(schema.getIndexFieldId("f3"));
-        LR::UP lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "wx"));
+        auto lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "wx"));
         ASSERT_TRUE(lr1);
-        PH::UP wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
+        auto wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
         ASSERT_TRUE(wh1);
         TermFieldMatchData f3;
         TermFieldMatchDataArray a;
         a.add(&f3);
-        SB::UP sbap(wh1->createIterator(lr1->counts, a));
+        auto sbap(dw.create_iterator(*lr1, *wh1, a));
         sbap->initFullRange();
         EXPECT_EQ(std::string("{1000000:}"), toString(f3.getIterator()));
         EXPECT_TRUE(sbap->seek(10));
@@ -249,14 +244,14 @@ validateDiskIndex(DiskIndex &dw, bool f2HasElements, bool f3HasWeights)
     }
     {
         uint32_t id1(schema.getIndexFieldId("f3"));;
-        LR::UP lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "zz"));
+        auto lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "zz"));
         ASSERT_TRUE(lr1);
-        PH::UP wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
+        auto wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
         ASSERT_TRUE(wh1);
         TermFieldMatchData f3;
         TermFieldMatchDataArray a;
         a.add(&f3);
-        SB::UP sbap(wh1->createIterator(lr1->counts, a));
+        auto sbap(dw.create_iterator(*lr1, *wh1, a));
         sbap->initFullRange();
         EXPECT_EQ(std::string("{1000000:}"), toString(f3.getIterator()));
         EXPECT_TRUE(sbap->seek(11));
@@ -271,14 +266,14 @@ validateDiskIndex(DiskIndex &dw, bool f2HasElements, bool f3HasWeights)
     }
     {
         uint32_t id1(schema.getIndexFieldId("f3"));;
-        LR::UP lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "zz0"));
+        auto lr1(dw.lookup(id1, "zz0"));
         ASSERT_TRUE(lr1);
-        PH::UP wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
+        auto wh1(dw.readPostingList(*lr1));
         ASSERT_TRUE(wh1);
         TermFieldMatchData f3;
         TermFieldMatchDataArray a;
         a.add(&f3);
-        SB::UP sbap(wh1->createIterator(lr1->counts, a));
+        auto sbap(dw.create_iterator(*lr1, *wh1, a));
         sbap->initFullRange();
         EXPECT_EQ(std::string("{1000000:}"), toString(f3.getIterator()));
         EXPECT_TRUE(sbap->seek(12));
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.cpp
index 709f7080f515..beb1b7d97d06 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.cpp
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ DiskIndex::read(const Key & key, LookupResultVector & result)
     return true;
 }
 
-index::PostingListHandle::UP
+std::unique_ptr<index::PostingListHandle>
 DiskIndex::readPostingList(const LookupResult &lookupRes) const
 {
     auto& field_index = _field_indexes[lookupRes.indexId];
@@ -248,6 +248,15 @@ DiskIndex::readBitVector(const LookupResult &lookupRes) const
     return field_index.read_bit_vector(lookupRes);
 }
 
+std::unique_ptr<search::queryeval::SearchIterator>
+DiskIndex::create_iterator(const LookupResult& lookup_result,
+                           const index::PostingListHandle& handle,
+                           const search::fef::TermFieldMatchDataArray& tfmda) const
+{
+    auto& field_index = _field_indexes[lookup_result.indexId];
+    return field_index.create_iterator(lookup_result, handle, tfmda);
+}
+
 namespace {
 
 const std::vector<std::string> nonfield_file_names{
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.h
index 97e01be46c1a..8bbfdb60e6be 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/diskindex.h
@@ -104,7 +104,12 @@ class DiskIndex : public queryeval::Searchable {
      * @param lookupRes the result of the previous dictionary lookup.
      * @return a handle for the posting list in memory.
      */
-    index::PostingListHandle::UP readPostingList(const LookupResult &lookupRes) const;
+    std::unique_ptr<index::PostingListHandle> readPostingList(const LookupResult &lookupRes) const;
+
+    std::unique_ptr<search::queryeval::SearchIterator>
+    create_iterator(const LookupResult& lookup_result,
+                    const index::PostingListHandle& handle,
+                    const search::fef::TermFieldMatchDataArray& tfmda) const;
 
     /**
      * Read the bit vector corresponding to the given lookup result.
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.cpp
index d6de01e1d444..f4fdf80c8c3f 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ DiskTermBlueprint::createLeafSearch(const TermFieldMatchDataArray & tfmda) const
             getName(_lookupRes->indexId).c_str(), _lookupRes->wordNum, _lookupRes->counts._numDocs);
         return BitVectorIterator::create(_bitVector.get(), *tfmda[0], strict());
     }
-    SearchIterator::UP search(_postingHandle->createIterator(_lookupRes->counts, tfmda));
+    auto search(_diskIndex.create_iterator(*_lookupRes, *_postingHandle, tfmda));
     if (_useBitVector) {
         LOG(debug, "Return BooleanMatchIteratorWrapper: %s, wordNum(%" PRIu64 "), docCount(%" PRIu64 ")",
             getName(_lookupRes->indexId).c_str(), _lookupRes->wordNum, _lookupRes->counts._numDocs);
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ DiskTermBlueprint::createFilterSearch(FilterConstraint) const
     if (_bitVector) {
         wrapper->wrap(BitVectorIterator::create(_bitVector.get(), *tfmda[0], strict()));
     } else {
-        wrapper->wrap(_postingHandle->createIterator(_lookupRes->counts, tfmda));
+        wrapper->wrap(_diskIndex.create_iterator(*_lookupRes, *_postingHandle, tfmda));
     }
     return wrapper;
 }
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.h
index cc2bb9c8b6aa..5a8f2a33eb1d 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/disktermblueprint.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class DiskTermBlueprint : public queryeval::SimpleLeafBlueprint
     DiskIndex::LookupResult::UP      _lookupRes;
     bool                             _useBitVector;
     bool                             _fetchPostingsDone;
-    index::PostingListHandle::UP     _postingHandle;
+    std::unique_ptr<index::PostingListHandle> _postingHandle;
     BitVector::UP                    _bitVector;
 
 public:
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.cpp
index a77a9f7889cd..5e4a29d8cd29 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "field_index.h"
 #include "fileheader.h"
 #include "pagedict4randread.h"
+#include <vespa/searchlib/queryeval/searchiterator.h>
 #include <vespa/searchlib/util/disk_space_calculator.h>
 #include <filesystem>
 
@@ -149,11 +150,11 @@ FieldIndex::read_posting_list(const DictionaryLookupResult& lookup_result) const
     auto handle = std::make_unique<PostingListHandle>();
     handle->_bitOffset = lookup_result.bitOffset;
     handle->_bitLength = lookup_result.counts._bitLength;
-    handle->_file = _posting_file.get();
-    if (handle->_file == nullptr) {
+    auto file = _posting_file.get();
+    if (file == nullptr) {
         return {};
     }
-    handle->_file->readPostingList(*handle);
+    file->readPostingList(*handle);
     if (handle->_read_bytes != 0) {
         _disk_io_stats->add_read_operation(handle->_read_bytes);
     }
@@ -169,6 +170,15 @@ FieldIndex::read_bit_vector(const DictionaryLookupResult& lookup_result) const
     return _bit_vector_dict->lookup(lookup_result.wordNum);
 }
 
+std::unique_ptr<search::queryeval::SearchIterator>
+FieldIndex::create_iterator(const search::index::DictionaryLookupResult& lookup_result,
+                            const index::PostingListHandle& handle,
+                            const search::fef::TermFieldMatchDataArray& tfmda) const
+{
+    return _posting_file->createIterator(lookup_result.counts, handle, tfmda);
+}
+
+
 index::FieldLengthInfo
 FieldIndex::get_field_length_info() const
 {
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.h
index a2c83a631210..73869cff4ffd 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/diskindex/field_index.h
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ class FieldIndex {
     void reuse_files(const FieldIndex& rhs);
     std::unique_ptr<index::PostingListHandle> read_posting_list(const search::index::DictionaryLookupResult& lookup_result) const;
     std::unique_ptr<BitVector> read_bit_vector(const search::index::DictionaryLookupResult& lookup_result) const;
+    std::unique_ptr<search::queryeval::SearchIterator> create_iterator(const search::index::DictionaryLookupResult& lookup_result,
+                                                                       const index::PostingListHandle& handle,
+                                                                       const search::fef::TermFieldMatchDataArray& tfmda) const;
     index::FieldLengthInfo get_field_length_info() const;
 
     index::DictionaryFileRandRead* get_dictionary() noexcept { return _dict.get(); }
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglistfile.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglistfile.h
index a53ff5a3fc59..74f163556c9f 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglistfile.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglistfile.h
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 class FastOS_FileInterface;
 
 namespace search::common { class FileHeaderContext; }
+namespace search::fef { class TermFieldMatchDataArray; }
+namespace search::queryeval { class SearchIterator; }
 
 namespace search::index {
 
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.cpp b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.cpp
index 193580b4aa7f..26b99f866e63 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.cpp
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.cpp
@@ -1,16 +1,28 @@
 // Copyright Vespa.ai. Licensed under the terms of the Apache 2.0 license. See LICENSE in the project root.
 
 #include "postinglisthandle.h"
-#include "postinglistfile.h"
-#include <vespa/searchlib/queryeval/searchiterator.h>
 
 namespace search::index {
 
-std::unique_ptr<search::queryeval::SearchIterator>
-PostingListHandle::createIterator(const PostingListCounts &counts,
-                                  const search::fef::TermFieldMatchDataArray &matchData) const
+PostingListHandle::~PostingListHandle()
 {
-    return _file->createIterator(counts, *this, matchData);
+    if (_allocMem != nullptr) {
+        free(_allocMem);
+    }
 }
 
+void
+PostingListHandle::drop()
+{
+    _bitOffsetMem = 0;
+    _mem = nullptr;
+    if (_allocMem != nullptr) {
+        free(_allocMem);
+        _allocMem = nullptr;
+    }
+    _allocSize = 0;
+    _read_bytes = 0;
+}
+
+
 }
diff --git a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.h b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.h
index ace1e16f766b..171e08331cd8 100644
--- a/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.h
+++ b/searchlib/src/vespa/searchlib/index/postinglisthandle.h
@@ -2,17 +2,10 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "postinglistcounts.h"
-#include <memory>
 #include <cstdlib>
 
-namespace search { class BitVector; }
-namespace search::queryeval { class SearchIterator; }
-namespace search::fef { class TermFieldMatchDataArray; }
-
 namespace search::index {
 
-class PostingListFileRandRead;
-
 /**
  * Class for owning a posting list in memory after having read it from
  * posting list file, or referencing a chunk of memory containing the
@@ -20,9 +13,7 @@ class PostingListFileRandRead;
  */
 class PostingListHandle {
 public:
-    using UP = std::unique_ptr<PostingListHandle>;
     // Key portion
-    PostingListFileRandRead *_file; // File containing posting list
     uint64_t _bitOffset;    // posting list start relative to start of file
     uint64_t _bitLength;    // Length of posting list, in bits
 
@@ -34,8 +25,7 @@ class PostingListHandle {
     uint64_t _read_bytes;   // Bytes read from disk (used by disk io stats)
 
     PostingListHandle()
-    : _file(nullptr),
-      _bitOffset(0),
+    : _bitOffset(0),
       _bitLength(0),
       _bitOffsetMem(0),
       _mem(nullptr),
@@ -44,34 +34,12 @@ class PostingListHandle {
       _read_bytes(0)
     { }
 
-    ~PostingListHandle()
-    {
-        if (_allocMem != nullptr) {
-            free(_allocMem);
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Create iterator for single word.  Semantic lifetime of counts and
-     * handle must exceed lifetime of iterator.
-     */
-    std::unique_ptr<search::queryeval::SearchIterator>
-    createIterator(const PostingListCounts &counts,
-                   const search::fef::TermFieldMatchDataArray &matchData) const;
+    ~PostingListHandle();
 
     /**
      * Drop value portion of handle.
      */
-    void drop() {
-        _bitOffsetMem = 0;
-        _mem = nullptr;
-        if (_allocMem != nullptr) {
-            free(_allocMem);
-            _allocMem = nullptr;
-        }
-        _allocSize = 0;
-        _read_bytes = 0;
-    }
+    void drop();
 };
 
 }