diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotScene.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotScene.java
index f0e5effe4..2a0301bd3 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotScene.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotScene.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: EditableSpotScene.java,v 1.4 2001/12/05 03:38:09 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: EditableSpotScene.java,v 1.5 2001/12/05 09:20:10 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.tools.spot;
 
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ public interface EditableSpotScene
      */
     public void setDefaultEntranceId (int defaultEntranceId);
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the next valid location id for this scene. Newly created
+     * portals or locations should be assigned a new location id via this
+     * method.
+     */
+    public int getNextLocationId ();
+
     /**
      * Adds a location to this scene.
      */
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotSceneImpl.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotSceneImpl.java
index 575bb3101..4b72c1f86 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotSceneImpl.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/tools/EditableSpotSceneImpl.java
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 //
-// $Id: EditableSpotSceneImpl.java,v 1.7 2001/12/05 08:45:06 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: EditableSpotSceneImpl.java,v 1.8 2001/12/05 09:20:10 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.tools.spot;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceConfig;
@@ -80,6 +81,13 @@ public class EditableSpotSceneImpl extends EditableSceneImpl
             port.targetPortalName = _emodel.targetPortalNames[i];
             portals.set(i, port);
         }
+
+        // determine the highest location id in use by this scene
+        Iterator iter = _delegate.getLocations().iterator();
+        while (iter.hasNext()) {
+            _nextLocationId = Math.max(_nextLocationId,
+                                       ((Location)iter.next()).locationId);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -123,6 +131,12 @@ public class EditableSpotSceneImpl extends EditableSceneImpl
         _model.defaultEntranceId = defaultEntranceId;
     }
 
+    // documentation inherited
+    public int getNextLocationId ()
+    {
+        return ++_nextLocationId;
+    }
+
     // documentation inherited
     public void addLocation (Location loc)
     {
@@ -219,4 +233,7 @@ public class EditableSpotSceneImpl extends EditableSceneImpl
 
     /** Our display spot scene delegate. */
     protected DisplaySpotSceneImpl _delegate;
+
+    /** A location id counter used for assigning ids to new locations. */
+    protected int _nextLocationId;
 }