diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/grpclb/grpclb.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/grpclb/grpclb.cc
index a87dfda7321..2f3516066da 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/grpclb/grpclb.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/grpclb/grpclb.cc
@@ -161,9 +161,7 @@ class GrpcLb : public LoadBalancingPolicy {
     bool seen_serverlist() const { return seen_serverlist_; }
 
    private:
-    // So Delete() can access our private dtor.
-    template <typename T>
-    friend void grpc_core::Delete(T*);
+    GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE
 
     ~BalancerCallState();
 
diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/xds/xds.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/xds/xds.cc
index e790ec25520..e5c27fe67a4 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/xds/xds.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/xds/xds.cc
@@ -185,9 +185,7 @@ class XdsLb : public LoadBalancingPolicy {
       bool seen_initial_response() const { return seen_initial_response_; }
 
      private:
-      // So Delete() can access our private dtor.
-      template <typename T>
-      friend void grpc_core::Delete(T*);
+      GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE
 
       ~BalancerCallState();
 
diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/retry_throttle.h b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/retry_throttle.h
index fddafcd903e..9e2fff56d24 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/retry_throttle.h
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/retry_throttle.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include <grpc/support/port_platform.h>
 
+#include "src/core/lib/gprpp/memory.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/gprpp/ref_counted.h"
 
 namespace grpc_core {
@@ -42,9 +43,7 @@ class ServerRetryThrottleData : public RefCounted<ServerRetryThrottleData> {
   intptr_t milli_token_ratio() const { return milli_token_ratio_; }
 
  private:
-  // So Delete() can call our private dtor.
-  template <typename T>
-  friend void grpc_core::Delete(T*);
+  GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE
 
   ~ServerRetryThrottleData();
 
diff --git a/src/core/lib/gprpp/memory.h b/src/core/lib/gprpp/memory.h
index 70ad430c51d..2e7658e4866 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/gprpp/memory.h
+++ b/src/core/lib/gprpp/memory.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <grpc/support/port_platform.h>
 
 #include <grpc/support/alloc.h>
+#include <grpc/support/log.h>
 
 #include <limits>
 #include <memory>
@@ -29,14 +30,17 @@
 
 // Add this to a class that want to use Delete(), but has a private or
 // protected destructor.
-#define GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE \
-  template <typename T>                           \
-  friend void grpc_core::Delete(T*);
+#define GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE         \
+  template <typename _Delete_T, bool _Delete_can_be_null> \
+  friend void ::grpc_core::Delete(_Delete_T*);            \
+  template <typename _Delete_T>                           \
+  friend void ::grpc_core::Delete(_Delete_T*);
+
 // Add this to a class that want to use New(), but has a private or
 // protected constructor.
-#define GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_NEW \
-  template <typename T, typename... Args>      \
-  friend T* grpc_core::New(Args&&...);
+#define GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_NEW      \
+  template <typename _New_T, typename... _New_Args> \
+  friend _New_T* grpc_core::New(_New_Args&&...);
 
 namespace grpc_core {
 
@@ -48,17 +52,30 @@ inline T* New(Args&&... args) {
 }
 
 // Alternative to delete, since we cannot use it (for fear of libstdc++)
-template <typename T>
+// We cannot add a default value for can_be_null, because they are used as
+// as friend template methods where we cannot define a default value.
+// Instead we simply define two variants, one with and one without the boolean
+// argument.
+template <typename T, bool can_be_null>
 inline void Delete(T* p) {
-  if (p == nullptr) return;
+  GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(can_be_null || p != nullptr);
+  if (can_be_null && p == nullptr) return;
   p->~T();
   gpr_free(p);
 }
+template <typename T>
+inline void Delete(T* p) {
+  Delete<T, /*can_be_null=*/true>(p);
+}
 
 template <typename T>
 class DefaultDelete {
  public:
-  void operator()(T* p) { Delete(p); }
+  void operator()(T* p) {
+    // std::unique_ptr is gauranteed not to call the deleter
+    // if the pointer is nullptr.
+    Delete<T, /*can_be_null=*/false>(p);
+  }
 };
 
 template <typename T, typename Deleter = DefaultDelete<T>>
diff --git a/src/core/lib/slice/slice_hash_table.h b/src/core/lib/slice/slice_hash_table.h
index c20eca9db77..bd003c2c5b4 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/slice/slice_hash_table.h
+++ b/src/core/lib/slice/slice_hash_table.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <grpc/support/log.h>
 
 #include "src/core/lib/gpr/useful.h"
+#include "src/core/lib/gprpp/memory.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/gprpp/ref_counted.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/gprpp/ref_counted_ptr.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/slice/slice_internal.h"
@@ -77,13 +78,8 @@ class SliceHashTable : public RefCounted<SliceHashTable<T>> {
   static int Cmp(const SliceHashTable& a, const SliceHashTable& b);
 
  private:
-  // So New() can call our private ctor.
-  template <typename T2, typename... Args>
-  friend T2* New(Args&&... args);
-
-  // So Delete() can call our private dtor.
-  template <typename T2>
-  friend void Delete(T2*);
+  GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE
+  GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_NEW
 
   SliceHashTable(size_t num_entries, Entry* entries, ValueCmp value_cmp);
   virtual ~SliceHashTable();
diff --git a/src/core/lib/slice/slice_weak_hash_table.h b/src/core/lib/slice/slice_weak_hash_table.h
index 8c5562bf196..bd59a4c2e48 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/slice/slice_weak_hash_table.h
+++ b/src/core/lib/slice/slice_weak_hash_table.h
@@ -61,13 +61,8 @@ class SliceWeakHashTable : public RefCounted<SliceWeakHashTable<T, Size>> {
   }
 
  private:
-  // So New() can call our private ctor.
-  template <typename T2, typename... Args>
-  friend T2* New(Args&&... args);
-
-  // So Delete() can call our private dtor.
-  template <typename T2>
-  friend void Delete(T2*);
+  GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_NEW
+  GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE
 
   SliceWeakHashTable() = default;
   ~SliceWeakHashTable() = default;
diff --git a/src/core/tsi/ssl/session_cache/ssl_session_cache.h b/src/core/tsi/ssl/session_cache/ssl_session_cache.h
index 37fa2d124c9..16ab97714a7 100644
--- a/src/core/tsi/ssl/session_cache/ssl_session_cache.h
+++ b/src/core/tsi/ssl/session_cache/ssl_session_cache.h
@@ -67,13 +67,8 @@ class SslSessionLRUCache : public grpc_core::RefCounted<SslSessionLRUCache> {
   SslSessionPtr Get(const char* key);
 
  private:
-  // So New() can call our private ctor.
-  template <typename T, typename... Args>
-  friend T* grpc_core::New(Args&&... args);
-
-  // So Delete() can call our private dtor.
-  template <typename T>
-  friend void grpc_core::Delete(T*);
+  GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_NEW
+  GRPC_ALLOW_CLASS_TO_USE_NON_PUBLIC_DELETE
 
   class Node;