diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/ObjectEditorPanel.java b/core/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/ObjectEditorPanel.java
index 69c20717d..251cc3494 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/ObjectEditorPanel.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/ObjectEditorPanel.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import com.threerings.presents.util.PresentsContext;
 import com.threerings.presents.util.SafeSubscriber;
 
 import com.threerings.admin.data.ConfigObject;
+import com.threerings.admin.data.ToolTipText;
 
 import static com.threerings.admin.Log.log;
 
@@ -113,25 +114,11 @@ public class ObjectEditorPanel extends ScrollablePanel
      */
     protected static JPanel applyTip (ConfigObject object, Field field, JPanel editor)
     {
-        String tipName = toUpperSnake(field.getName()) + "_TIP";
-        try {
-            Field tipField = object.getClass().getField(tipName);
-            if (tipField.getType() == String.class &&
-                    Modifier.isStatic(tipField.getModifiers())) {
-                editor.setToolTipText((String) tipField.get(null));
-            }
-        } catch (NoSuchFieldException | IllegalAccessException e) {
-            // no tip constant for this field
-        }
+        ToolTipText tipAnno = field.getAnnotation(ToolTipText.class);
+        if (tipAnno != null) editor.setToolTipText(tipAnno.value());
         return editor;
     }
 
-    /** Converts a {@code lowerCamelCase} name to {@code UPPER_SNAKE_CASE}. */
-    private static String toUpperSnake (String name)
-    {
-        return name.replaceAll("([a-z0-9])([A-Z])", "$1_$2").toUpperCase();
-    }
-
     protected PresentsContext _ctx;
     protected String _key;
     protected SafeSubscriber<ConfigObject> _safesub;
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/data/ToolTipText.java b/core/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/data/ToolTipText.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..daed580d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/data/ToolTipText.java
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package com.threerings.admin.data;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Documented;
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
+
+@Documented
+@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+@Target({ ElementType.FIELD })
+public @interface ToolTipText
+{
+    /**
+     * The tool tip text to show an admin when they're editing a field.
+     */
+    String value ();
+}