diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
index 9c2bbb8..81e067e 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ public class Application
      */
     public Application (File appdir, String appid)
     {
-        this(appdir, appid, null);
+        this(appdir, appid, null, null);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -169,13 +169,17 @@ public class Application
      * <code>appid.apparg</code> to configure itself but all other parameters will be the same as
      * the primary application.
      * @param signers an array of possible signers of this application. Used to verify the digest.
+     * @param jvmargs arguments to pass on to launched jvms
      */
-    public Application (File appdir, String appid, Object[] signers)
+    public Application (File appdir, String appid, Object[] signers, String[] jvmargs)
     {
         _appdir = appdir;
         _appid = appid;
         _signers = signers;
         _config = getLocalPath(CONFIG_FILE);
+        if (jvmargs != null) {
+            _baseJvmArgs = jvmargs;
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -537,6 +541,11 @@ public class Application
                 _jvmargs.add(jvmargs[ii]);
             }
         }
+        
+        // Add the launch specific JVM arguments
+        for (String arg : _baseJvmArgs) {
+            _jvmargs.add(arg);
+        }
 
         // transfer our application arguments
         String[] appargs = ConfigUtil.getMultiValue(cdata, prefix + "apparg");
@@ -1315,6 +1324,8 @@ public class Application
 
     protected ArrayList<String> _jvmargs = new ArrayList<String>();
     protected ArrayList<String> _appargs = new ArrayList<String>();
+    
+    protected String[] _baseJvmArgs = new String[0];
 
     protected Object[] _signers;
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java
index a138067..4432fca 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@ public abstract class Getdown extends Thread
 
     public Getdown (File appDir, String appId)
     {
-        this(appDir, appId, null);
+        this(appDir, appId, null, null);
     }
 
-    public Getdown (File appDir, String appId, Object[] signers)
+    public Getdown (File appDir, String appId, Object[] signers, String[] jvmargs)
     {
         super("Getdown");
         try {
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ public abstract class Getdown extends Thread
                 "\nis invalid. The directory must not contain the '!' character. Please reinstall.";
             fail(errmsg);
         }
-        _app = new Application(appDir, appId, signers);
+        _app = new Application(appDir, appId, signers, jvmargs);
         _startup = System.currentTimeMillis();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java
index 8f41b37..57b6a35 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.PrintStream;
 import java.net.MalformedURLException;
 import java.net.URL;
-
 import javax.swing.JApplet;
 import javax.swing.JPanel;
 
 import com.samskivert.util.RunAnywhere;
 import com.samskivert.util.StringUtil;
+
 import com.threerings.getdown.Log;
 
 /**
@@ -91,11 +91,23 @@ public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
             _errmsg = e.getMessage();
         }
 
+        // Pull out system properties to pass through to the launched vm if they exist
+        String params = getParameter("app_properties");
+        String[] jvmargs;
+        if(params == null){
+            jvmargs = new String[0];
+        } else {
+            jvmargs = params.split(",");
+            for (int ii = 0; ii < jvmargs.length; ii++) {
+                jvmargs[ii] = "-D" + jvmargs[ii];
+            }    
+        }
+
         try {
             // XXX getSigners() returns all certificates used to sign this applet which may allow
             // a third party to insert a trusted certificate. This should be replaced with
             // statically included trusted keys.
-            _getdown = new Getdown(appdir, null, GetdownApplet.class.getSigners()) {
+            _getdown = new Getdown(appdir, null, GetdownApplet.class.getSigners(), jvmargs) {
                 protected Container createContainer () {
                     getContentPane().removeAll();
                     return getContentPane();