diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as
index 099bccaed..7c342b263 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;
 import com.threerings.util.ArrayUtil;
 import com.threerings.util.HashMap;
 import com.threerings.util.Map;
+import com.threerings.util.ObserverList;
 import com.threerings.util.ResultListener;
 import com.threerings.util.StringUtil;
 
@@ -102,6 +103,16 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
         registerCommandHandler(msg, "tell", new TellHandler());
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Adds the supplied chat display to the front of the chat display list. It
+     * will subsequently be notified of incoming chat messages as well as tell
+     * responses.
+     */
+    public function pushChatDisplay (display :ChatDisplay) :void
+    {
+        _displays.add(display, 0);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Adds the supplied chat display to the chat display list. It will
      * subsequently be notified of incoming chat messages as well as tell
@@ -109,9 +120,7 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
      */
     public function addChatDisplay (display :ChatDisplay) :void
     {
-        if (-1 == _displays.getItemIndex(display)) {
-            _displays.addItem(display);
-        }
+        _displays.add(display);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -120,10 +129,7 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
      */
     public function removeChatDisplay (display :ChatDisplay) :void
     {
-        var idx :int = _displays.getItemIndex(display);
-        if (idx != -1) {
-            _displays.removeItemAt(idx);
-        }
+        _displays.remove(display);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -227,9 +233,9 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
      */
     public function clearDisplays () :void
     {
-        for (var ii :int = 0; ii < _displays.length; ii++) {
-            (_displays.getItemAt(ii) as ChatDisplay).clear();
-        }
+        _displays.apply(function (disp :ChatDisplay) :void {
+            disp.clear();
+        });
     }
 
     /**
@@ -278,9 +284,12 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
      */
     public function dispatchMessage (message :ChatMessage) :void
     {
-        for each (var display :ChatDisplay in _displays) {
-            display.displayMessage(message);
-        }
+        var displayed :Boolean = false;
+        _displays.apply(function (disp :ChatDisplay) :void {
+            if (disp.displayMessage(message, displayed)) {
+                displayed = true;
+            }
+        });
     }
 
     /**
@@ -986,7 +995,7 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
     protected var _clobj :ClientObject;
 
     /** A list of registered chat displays. */
-    protected var _displays :ArrayCollection = new ArrayCollection();
+    protected var _displays :ObserverList = new ObserverList();
 
     /** A list of registered chat filters. */
 //    protected ObserverList _filters =
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.as b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.as
index 08f3d06c8..56b432f80 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDisplay.as
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ public interface ChatDisplay
      * Called to display a chat message.
      *
      * @see ChatMessage
+     * @return true if the message was displayed here.
      */ 
-    function displayMessage (msg :ChatMessage) :void;
+    function displayMessage (
+        msg :ChatMessage, alreadyDisplayed :Boolean) :Boolean;
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/mx/controls/ChatDisplayBox.as b/src/as/com/threerings/mx/controls/ChatDisplayBox.as
index a810f541d..1a0eb51dd 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/mx/controls/ChatDisplayBox.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/mx/controls/ChatDisplayBox.as
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ public class ChatDisplayBox extends TextArea
     }
 
     // documentation inherited from interface ChatDisplay
-    public function displayMessage (msg :ChatMessage) :void
+    public function displayMessage (
+        msg :ChatMessage, alreadyDisplayed :Boolean) :Boolean
     {
         if (!_scrollBot) {
             _scrollBot = (verticalScrollPosition == maxVerticalScrollPosition);
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ public class ChatDisplayBox extends TextArea
                 (msg as UserMessage).speaker + "&gt;</font> ";
         }
         this.htmlText += msg.message;
+        return true;
     }
 
     override public function parentChanged (p :DisplayObjectContainer) :void
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObserverList.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObserverList.as
index f89f44313..424ee89a4 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObserverList.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObserverList.as
@@ -25,14 +25,24 @@ public class ObserverList
 
     /**
      * Add an observer to this list.
+     *
+     * @param index the index at which to add the observer, or -1 for the end.
      */
-    public function add (observer :Object) :void
+    public function add (observer :Object, index :int = -1) :void
     {
         if (!ArrayUtil.contains(_list, observer)) {
-            _list.push(observer);
+            _list.splice(index, 0, observer); // -1 to splice means "end"
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Return the size of the list.
+     */
+    public function size () :int
+    {
+        return _list.length;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Remove an observer from this list.
      */