diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/UserMessage.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/UserMessage.java
index 1b618ce28..28ba5dfeb 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/UserMessage.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/UserMessage.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public class UserMessage extends ChatMessage
     /**
      * Construct a user message.
      */
-    public UserMessage (String message, String bundle, Name speaker, byte mode)
+    public UserMessage (Name speaker, String bundle, String message, byte mode)
     {
         super(message, bundle);
         this.speaker = speaker;
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class UserMessage extends ChatMessage
      * Constructs a user message for a player originated tell (which has no
      * bundle and is in the default mode).
      */
-    public UserMessage (String message, Name speaker)
+    public UserMessage (Name speaker, String message)
     {
         super(message, null);
         this.speaker = speaker;
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
index b130afa63..45b65eba8 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ public class ChatProvider
      */
     protected UserMessage createTellMessage (BodyObject source, String message)
     {
-        return new UserMessage(message, source.getVisibleName());
+        return new UserMessage(source.getVisibleName(), message);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/SpeakProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/SpeakProvider.java
index 11b68944b..9f663106c 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/SpeakProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/SpeakProvider.java
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ public class SpeakProvider
     public static void sendSpeak (DObject speakObj, Name speaker,
                                   String bundle, String message, byte mode)
     {
-        sendMessage(speakObj, new UserMessage(message, bundle, speaker, mode));
+        sendMessage(speakObj, new UserMessage(speaker, bundle, message, mode));
     }
 
     /**