diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdClient.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdClient.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..30e8f74bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdClient.java
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+//
+// $Id: CrowdClient.java,v 1.1 2001/08/03 02:28:20 mdb Exp $
+
+package com.threerings.cocktail.party.server;
+
+import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.server.CherClient;
+import com.threerings.cocktail.party.data.BodyObject;
+
+/**
+ * The party client extends the cher client and does some initializations
+ * necessary for the party services.
+ */
+public class PartyClient extends CherClient
+{
+    protected void sessionWillStart ()
+    {
+        // cast our client object to a body object
+        _bodobj = (BodyObject)_clobj;
+
+        // and configure our username
+        _bodobj.setUsername(_username);
+    }
+
+    protected void sessionWillResume ()
+    {
+    }
+
+    protected BodyObject _bodobj;
+}
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java
index ebddb5eb3..ec88e4f04 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/CrowdServer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: CrowdServer.java,v 1.3 2001/08/02 01:47:56 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: CrowdServer.java,v 1.4 2001/08/03 02:28:20 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.cocktail.party.server;
 
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ public class PartyServer extends CherServer
         // bind the party server config into the namespace
         config.bindProperties(CONFIG_KEY, CONFIG_PATH);
 
+        // configure the client to use our party client
+        clmgr.setClientClass(PartyClient.class);
+
         // configure the client to use the body object
         clmgr.setClientObjectClass(BodyObject.class);