diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
index fa8a07d26..86504d328 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ public class MessageBundle
             return key.substring(1);
         }
 
+        args = Util.unfuckVarargs(args);
+
         // if this is a qualified key, we need to pass the buck to the
         // appropriate message bundle
         if (key.indexOf(QUAL_PREFIX) == 0) {
@@ -263,6 +265,8 @@ public class MessageBundle
      */
     public static function compose (key :String, ... args) :String
     {
+        args = Util.unfuckVarargs(args);
+
         var buf :StringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
         buf.append(key, "|");
         for (var ii :int = 0; ii < args.length; ii++) {
@@ -291,6 +295,8 @@ public class MessageBundle
      */
     public static function tcompose (key :String, ... args) :String
     {
+        args = Util.unfuckVarargs(args);
+
         for (var ii :int = 0; ii < args.length; ii++) {
             args[ii] = taint(args[ii]);
         }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
index 39ccd0ee2..fa067e4d4 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
@@ -96,7 +96,10 @@ public class StringUtil
      */
     public static function substitute (str :String, ... args) :String
     {
-        return mx.utils.StringUtil.substitute(str, args);
+        // holy christ the varargs insanity
+        args = Util.unfuckVarargs(args);
+        args.unshift(str);
+        return mx.utils.StringUtil.substitute.apply(null, args);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -107,6 +110,23 @@ public class StringUtil
         return mx.utils.StringUtil.trim(str);
     }
 
+    public static function toString (obj :Object) :String
+    {
+        if (obj is Array) {
+            var arr :Array = (obj as Array);
+            var s :String = "Array(";
+            for (var ii :int = 0; ii < arr.length; ii++) {
+                if (ii > 0) {
+                    s += ", ";
+                }
+                s += (ii + ": " + toString(arr[ii]));
+            }
+            return s + ")";
+        }
+
+        return String(obj);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Truncate the specified String if it is longer than maxLength.
      * The string will be truncated at a position such that it is
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as
index 3c9bcc7cf..8019c7a6e 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ public class Util
         return false;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * If you call a varargs method by passing it an array, the array
+     * will end up being arg 1.
+     */
+    public static function unfuckVarargs (args :Array) :Array
+    {
+        return (args.length == 1 && (args[0] is Array)) ? (args[0] as Array)
+                                                        : args;
+    }
+
     public static function cast (obj :Object, clazz :Class) :Object
     {
         if (obj == null || obj is clazz) {