diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/net/AuthResponse.java b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/net/AuthResponse.java
index 0a7250a08..46d0a29da 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/net/AuthResponse.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/net/AuthResponse.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: AuthResponse.java,v 1.15 2004/08/27 02:20:21 mdb Exp $
+// $Id$
 //
 // Narya library - tools for developing networked games
 // Copyright (C) 2002-2004 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@ package com.threerings.presents.net;
  */
 public class AuthResponse extends DownstreamMessage
 {
+    /** Auxilliary authentication data to be communicated to the {@link
+     * PresentsClient} once a session is started. This is a means by which
+     * the <code>Authenticator</code> can pass information loaded from,
+     * say, an authentication database into the runtime system to be used,
+     * for example for permissions. */
+    public transient Object authdata;
+
     /**
      * Zero argument constructor used when unserializing an instance.
      */
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/ClientManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/ClientManager.java
index 16bed512f..ba0f08b66 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/ClientManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/ClientManager.java
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ public class ClientManager
             try {
                 // create a client and start up its session
                 client = (PresentsClient)_clientClass.newInstance();
-                client.startSession(this, creds, conn);
+                client.startSession(this, creds, conn, rsp.authdata);
 
                 // map their client instance
                 _usermap.put(username, client);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsClient.java b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsClient.java
index 6057d3a39..30e4066d2 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsClient.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/server/PresentsClient.java
@@ -276,10 +276,11 @@ public class PresentsClient
      * connection instance and client object and begins a client session.
      */
     protected void startSession (
-        ClientManager cmgr, Credentials creds, Connection conn)
+        ClientManager cmgr, Credentials creds, Connection conn, Object authdata)
     {
         _cmgr = cmgr;
         _creds = creds;
+        _authdata = authdata;
         setConnection(conn);
 
         // obtain our starting username
@@ -907,6 +908,7 @@ public class PresentsClient
 
     protected ClientManager _cmgr;
     protected Credentials _creds;
+    protected Object _authdata;
     protected Name _username;
     protected Connection _conn;
     protected ClientObject _clobj;