diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/stage/client/StageScenePanel.java b/src/java/com/threerings/stage/client/StageScenePanel.java
index f0f8aae00..f3347f675 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/stage/client/StageScenePanel.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/stage/client/StageScenePanel.java
@@ -551,6 +551,9 @@ public class StageScenePanel extends MisoScenePanel
      */
     protected boolean isPortal (Location loc)
     {
+        if (_scene == null) {
+            return false;
+        }
         Iterator iter = _scene.getPortals();
         while (iter.hasNext()) {
             Portal p = (Portal)iter.next();
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/client/SceneDirector.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/client/SceneDirector.java
index e9bbcf1bd..95a2605c3 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/client/SceneDirector.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/client/SceneDirector.java
@@ -60,6 +60,18 @@ public class SceneDirector extends BasicDirector
     implements SceneCodes, LocationDirector.FailureHandler,
                SceneReceiver, SceneService.SceneMoveListener
 {
+    /**
+     * Used to recover from a problem after a completed moveTo.
+     */
+    public static interface MoveHandler
+    {
+        /**
+         * Should instruct the client to move the last known working
+         * location (as well as clean up after the failed moveTo request).
+         */
+        public void recoverMoveTo (int sceneId);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Creates a new scene director with the specified context.
      *
@@ -371,6 +383,23 @@ public class SceneDirector extends BasicDirector
         moveTo(sceneId);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the moveHandler for use in recoverFailedMove.
+     */
+    public void setMoveHandler (MoveHandler handler)
+    {
+        if (_moveHandler != null) {
+            Log.warning("Requested to set move handler, but we've " +
+                        "already got one. The conflicting entities will " +
+                        "likely need to perform more sophisticated " +
+                        "coordination to deal with failures. " +
+                        "[old=" + _moveHandler + ", new=" + handler + "].");
+
+        } else {
+            _moveHandler = handler;
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Called when something breaks down in the process of performing a
      * <code>moveTo</code> request.
@@ -386,7 +415,15 @@ public class SceneDirector extends BasicDirector
         // if we were previously somewhere (and that somewhere isn't where
         // we just tried to go), try going back to that happy place
         if (_previousSceneId != -1 && _previousSceneId != sceneId) {
-            moveTo(_previousSceneId);
+            // if we have a move handler use that
+            if (_moveHandler != null) {
+                _moveHandler.recoverMoveTo(_previousSceneId);
+
+            } else {
+                Log.info("Recovering failed scene move [_previousSceneId=" +
+                        _previousSceneId + "].");
+                moveTo(_previousSceneId);
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -507,4 +544,7 @@ public class SceneDirector extends BasicDirector
 
     /** The id of the scene we previously occupied. */
     protected int _previousSceneId = -1;
+
+    /** Reference to our move handler. */
+    protected MoveHandler _moveHandler = null;
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/zone/client/ZoneDirector.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/zone/client/ZoneDirector.java
index 9fd6b4923..4b8ed2bb0 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/zone/client/ZoneDirector.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/zone/client/ZoneDirector.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ZoneDirector.java,v 1.16 2004/08/27 02:20:50 mdb Exp $
+// $Id$
 //
 // Narya library - tools for developing networked games
 // Copyright (C) 2002-2004 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ import com.threerings.whirled.zone.util.ZoneUtil;
  * generate an overview map or similar.
  */
 public class ZoneDirector extends BasicDirector
-    implements ZoneReceiver, ZoneService.ZoneMoveListener
+    implements ZoneReceiver, ZoneService.ZoneMoveListener,
+               SceneDirector.MoveHandler
 {
     /**
      * Constructs a zone director with the supplied context, and delegate
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ public class ZoneDirector extends BasicDirector
         super(ctx);
         _ctx = ctx;
         _scdir = scdir;
+        _scdir.setMoveHandler(this);
 
         // register for zone notifications
         _ctx.getClient().getInvocationDirector().registerReceiver(
@@ -165,6 +167,7 @@ public class ZoneDirector extends BasicDirector
         // clear out our business
         _zservice = null;
         _summary = null;
+        _previousZoneId = -1;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -174,6 +177,11 @@ public class ZoneDirector extends BasicDirector
     public void moveSucceeded (
         int placeId, PlaceConfig config, ZoneSummary summary)
     {
+        if (_summary != null) {
+            // keep track of our previous zone info
+            _previousZoneId = _summary.zoneId;
+        }
+        
         // keep track of the summary
         _summary = summary;
 
@@ -246,6 +254,20 @@ public class ZoneDirector extends BasicDirector
         moveTo(zoneId, sceneId, null);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Called when something breaks down after successfully completely a
+     * <code>moveTo</code> request.
+     */
+    public void recoverMoveTo (int sceneId)
+    {
+        if (_previousZoneId != -1) {
+            moveTo(_previousZoneId, sceneId);
+
+        } else {
+            _scdir.moveTo(sceneId);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Notifies observers of success or failure, depending on the type of
      * object provided as data.
@@ -287,4 +309,7 @@ public class ZoneDirector extends BasicDirector
 
     /** Our zone observer list. */
     protected ArrayList _observers = new ArrayList();
+
+    /** Our previous zone id. */
+    protected int _previousZoneId = -1;
 }