diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.as
index a765ea841..b6d76f1e4 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.as
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ public class StreamableHashMap extends ForwardingMap
         } else {
             // shit!
             Log.getLog(this).warning("Empty StreamableHashMap read, guessing DictionaryMap.");
-            _source = Maps.newDictionaryMap();
+            _source = Maps.newMapOf(Object);
         }
     }
 }