diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/CommandEvent.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/CommandEvent.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9f785aef8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/CommandEvent.as
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+package com.threerings.util {
+
+import flash.errors.IllegalOperationError;
+
+import flash.events.Event;
+import flash.events.IEventDispatcher;
+
+public class CommandEvent extends Event
+{
+    /** The event type for all controller events. */
+    public static const TYPE :String = "commandEvt";
+
+    /**
+     * Use this method to dispatch CommandEvents.
+     */
+    public static function dispatch (
+            disp :IEventDispatcher, cmd :String, arg :Object = null) :void
+    {
+        // Create the event
+        var event :CommandEvent = create(cmd, arg);
+
+        // Dispatch it. A return value of true means that the event was
+        // never cancelled, so we complain.
+        if (disp == null || disp.dispatchEvent(event)) {
+            Log.getLog(CommandEvent).warning("Unhandled controller command " +
+                "[cmd=" + cmd + ", arg=" + arg + "].");
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** The command. */
+    public var command :String;
+
+    /** An optional argument. */
+    public var arg :Object;
+
+    /**
+     * Command events may not be directly constructed, use the dispatch
+     * method to do your work.
+     */
+    public function CommandEvent (command :String, arg :Object)
+    {
+        super(TYPE, true, true);
+        if (_blockConstructor) {
+            throw new IllegalOperationError();
+        }
+        this.command = command;
+        this.arg = arg;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Mark this command as handled, stopping its propagation up the
+     * hierarchy.
+     */
+    public function markAsHandled () :void
+    {
+        preventDefault();
+        stopImmediatePropagation();
+    }
+
+    override public function clone () :Event
+    {
+        return create(command, arg);
+    }
+
+    override public function toString () :String
+    {
+        return "CommandEvent[" + command + " (" + arg + ")]";
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * A factory method for privately creating command events.
+     */
+    protected static function create (cmd :String, arg :Object) :CommandEvent
+    {
+        var event :CommandEvent;
+        _blockConstructor = false;
+        try {
+            event = new CommandEvent(cmd, arg);
+        } finally {
+            _blockConstructor = true;
+        }
+        return event;
+    }
+
+    /** Used to prevent unauthorized construction. */
+    protected static var _blockConstructor :Boolean = true;
+}
+}