diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/LocationProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/LocationProvider.java
index 148f47a80..8a3462fd1 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/LocationProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/LocationProvider.java
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 //
-// $Id: LocationProvider.java,v 1.3 2001/08/11 00:05:58 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: LocationProvider.java,v 1.4 2001/08/11 00:22:55 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.cocktail.party.server;
 
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.dobj.DObject;
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.server.CherServer;
 import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.server.InvocationProvider;
+import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.util.Codes;
 
 import com.threerings.cocktail.party.Log;
 import com.threerings.cocktail.party.data.*;
@@ -20,14 +21,33 @@ public class LocationProvider extends InvocationProvider
      */
     public void handleMoveToRequest (BodyObject source, int invid,
                                      int placeId)
+    {
+        // try to do the actual move
+        String rcode = moveTo(source, placeId);
+
+        // send the response
+        if (rcode.equals(Codes.SUCCESS)) {
+            sendResponse(source, invid, "MoveSucceeded");
+        } else {
+            sendResponse(source, invid, "MoveFailed", rcode);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Moves the specified body from whatever location they currently
+     * occupy to the location identified by the supplied place id.
+     *
+     * @return the string <code>Codes.SUCCESS</code> if the move was
+     * successful or a reason code for failure if not.
+     */
+    public static String moveTo (BodyObject source, int placeId)
     {
         // make sure the place in question actually exists
         DObject pobj = CherServer.omgr.getObject(placeId);
         if (pobj == null || !(pobj instanceof PlaceObject)) {
             Log.info("Requested to move to non-existent place " +
                      "[source=" + source + ", place=" + placeId + "].");
-            sendResponse(source, invid, "MoveFailed", "m.no_such_place");
-            return;
+            return "m.no_such_place";
         }
 
         // acquire a lock on the body object to ensure that rapid fire
@@ -35,8 +55,7 @@ public class LocationProvider extends InvocationProvider
         if (!source.acquireLock("moveToLock")) {
             // if we're still locked, a previous moveTo request hasn't
             // been fully processed
-            sendResponse(source, invid, "MoveFailed", "m.move_in_progress");
-            return;
+            return "m.move_in_progress";
         }
 
         // find out if they were previously in some other location
@@ -66,7 +85,6 @@ public class LocationProvider extends InvocationProvider
         // once all these events are processed
         source.releaseLock("moveToLock");
 
-        // send the response
-        sendResponse(source, invid, "MoveSucceeded");
+        return Codes.SUCCESS;
     }
 }