diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ParameterUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ParameterUtil.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..766b1f38c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ParameterUtil.as
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package com.threerings.util {
+
+import flash.display.DisplayObject;
+
+import flash.events.Event;
+import flash.events.IOErrorEvent;
+
+import flash.net.URLLoader;
+import flash.net.URLRequest;
+
+/**
+ * A utility for loading parameters from an XML file when run from
+ * the local filesystem.
+ *
+ * The file "parameters.xml" should reside in the current directory and contains:
+ *  <parameters>
+ *      <param name="name1" value="val1"/>
+ *      <param name="name2" value="val2"/>
+ *  </parameters>
+ */
+public class ParameterUtil
+{
+    /**
+     * Get the parameters.
+     * Note: the callback function may be called prior to this method
+     * returning.
+     */
+    public static function getParameters (disp :DisplayObject, callback :Function) :void
+    {
+        var url :String = disp.root.loaderInfo.url;
+        // normal parameters
+        if (url == null || 0 != url.indexOf("file:")) {
+            callback(disp.root.loaderInfo.parameters);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // instead read from XML
+        var loader :URLLoader = new URLLoader();
+        loader.addEventListener(IOErrorEvent.IO_ERROR,
+            function (event :Event) :void {
+                trace("Error loading params: " + event);
+                callback(disp.root.loaderInfo.parameters);
+            }
+        );
+        loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE,
+            function (event :Event) :void  {
+                var data :XML = XML(loader.data);
+                var params :Object = {};
+                for each (var param :XML in data..param) {
+                    params[param.@name] = String(param.@value);
+                }
+                callback(params);
+            }
+        );
+        loader.load(new URLRequest("file:parameters.xml"));
+    }
+}
+}