diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java
index 024e3b30c..757b52705 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotProvider.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: SpotProvider.java,v 1.15 2003/02/12 07:23:31 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: SpotProvider.java,v 1.16 2003/03/17 19:34:26 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.spot.server;
 
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ public class SpotProvider
         SpotScene rss = (SpotScene)smgr.getScene();
         final Portal fdest = rss.getPortal(portalId);
 
+        // give the source scene manager a chance to do access control
+        String errmsg = smgr.mayTraversePortal(fsource, fdest);
+        if (errmsg != null) {
+            throw new InvocationException(errmsg);
+        }
+
         // make sure this portal has valid info
         if (fdest == null || !fdest.isValid()) {
             Log.warning("Traverse portal with invalid portal " +
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
index f9fbab65b..c95b0f4c9 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: SpotSceneManager.java,v 1.27 2003/02/14 21:34:26 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: SpotSceneManager.java,v 1.28 2003/03/17 19:34:26 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.spot.server;
 
@@ -82,6 +82,18 @@ public class SpotSceneManager extends SceneManager
         _enterers.remove(body.getOid());
     }
 
+    /**
+     * This is called when a user requests to traverse a portal from this
+     * scene to another scene. The manager may return an error code string
+     * that will be reported back to the caller explaining the failure or
+     * <code>null</code> indicating that it is OK for the caller to
+     * traverse the portal.
+     */
+    public String mayTraversePortal (BodyObject body, Portal portal)
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
     // documentation inherited
     protected void didStartup ()
     {