diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
index 8a47dd74d..8abe98b2b 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatDirector.java,v 1.11 2001/10/12 00:03:02 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatDirector.java,v 1.12 2001/10/18 23:55:24 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -143,6 +143,8 @@ public class ChatDirector
         String name = event.getName();
         if (name.equals(ChatService.SPEAK_NOTIFICATION)) {
             handleSpeakMessage(event.getArgs());
+        } else if (name.equals(ChatService.SYSTEM_NOTIFICATION)) {
+            handleSystemMessage(event.getArgs());
         }
     }
 
@@ -200,6 +202,17 @@ public class ChatDirector
         }
     }
 
+    protected void handleSystemMessage (Object[] args)
+    {
+        String message = (String)args[0];
+
+        // pass this on to our chat displays
+        for (int i = 0; i < _displays.size(); i++) {
+            ChatDisplay display = (ChatDisplay)_displays.get(i);
+            display.displaySystemMessage(message);
+        }
+    }
+
     protected CrowdContext _ctx;
     protected PlaceObject _place;
     protected ArrayList _displays = new ArrayList();
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java
index a7420d6e0..1825982ee 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatDisplay.java,v 1.3 2001/10/11 04:07:51 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatDisplay.java,v 1.4 2001/10/18 23:55:24 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ public interface ChatDisplay
      */
     public void displayTellMessage (String speaker, String message);
 
+    /**
+     * Called to display a system message. A system message is one that is
+     * broadcast to all occupants of a particular place and rather than
+     * originating from some other user in the place, originates from the
+     * server and should be displayed visually differently from speak
+     * messages.
+     *
+     * @param message the text of the message.
+     */
+    public void displaySystemMessage (String message);
+
     /**
      * Called in response to a chat request (either speak or tell) that
      * originated on this client. The request id supplied will match the
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/ChatCodes.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/ChatCodes.java
index e5958dce1..b482fb0f6 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/ChatCodes.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/ChatCodes.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatCodes.java,v 1.2 2001/10/11 04:07:51 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatCodes.java,v 1.3 2001/10/18 23:55:24 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ public interface ChatCodes extends InvocationCodes
     /** The message identifier for a speak notification message. */
     public static final String SPEAK_NOTIFICATION = "spknot";
 
+    /** The message identifier for a system notification message. */
+    public static final String SYSTEM_NOTIFICATION = "sysnot";
+
     /** The message identifier for a tell request. */
     public static final String TELL_REQUEST = "Tell";
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
index 0c4d823ba..0c34dc183 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatProvider.java,v 1.6 2001/10/18 20:51:59 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatProvider.java,v 1.7 2001/10/18 23:55:24 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -55,4 +55,21 @@ public class ChatProvider
             placeOid, ChatService.SPEAK_NOTIFICATION, outargs);
         CrowdServer.omgr.postEvent(nevt);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Sends a system message notification to the specified place object
+     * with the supplied message content. A system message is one that
+     * will be rendered where the chat messages are rendered, but in a way
+     * that makes it clear that it is a message from the server.
+     *
+     * @param placeOid the place to which to deliver the message.
+     * @param message the text of the message.
+     */
+    public static void sendSystemMessage (int placeOid, String message)
+    {
+        Object[] outargs = new Object[] { message };
+        MessageEvent nevt = new MessageEvent(
+            placeOid, ChatService.SYSTEM_NOTIFICATION, outargs);
+        CrowdServer.omgr.postEvent(nevt);
+    }
 }