diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/Client.as b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/Client.as
index 3d678c779..4b5540022 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/Client.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/Client.as
@@ -205,13 +205,13 @@ public class Client extends EventDispatcher
         }
     }
 
-    protected function gotClientObject (clobj :ClientObject) :void
+    internal function gotClientObject (clobj :ClientObject) :void
     {
         _clobj = clobj;
         notifyObservers(ClientEvent.CLIENT_DID_LOGON);
     }
 
-    protected function getClientObjectFailed (cause :Error) :void
+    internal function getClientObjectFailed (cause :Error) :void
     {
         notifyObservers(ClientEvent.CLIENT_FAILED_TO_LOGON, cause);
     }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationDecoder.as b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationDecoder.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d30dc62d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationDecoder.as
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+//
+// $Id: InvocationDecoder.java 3099 2004-08-27 02:21:06Z mdb $
+//
+// Narya library - tools for developing networked games
+// Copyright (C) 2002-2004 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
+// http://www.threerings.net/code/narya/
+//
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.threerings.presents.client {
+
+import com.threerings.presents.Log;
+
+/**
+ * Provides the basic functionality used to dispatch invocation
+ * notification events.
+ */
+public /* abstract */ class InvocationDecoder
+{
+    /** The receiver for which we're decoding and dipatching
+     * notifications. */
+    public var receiver :InvocationReceiver;
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the generated hash code that is used to identify this
+     * invocation notification service.
+     */
+    public /* abstract */ function getReceiverCode () :String
+    {
+        return "abstract";
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Dispatches the specified method to our receiver.
+     */
+    public function dispatchNotification (methodId :int, args :Array) :void
+    {
+        Log.warning("Requested to dispatch unknown method " +
+                    "[receiver=" + receiver + ", methodId=" + methodId +
+                    ", args=" + args + "].");
+    }
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationDirector.as b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationDirector.as
index 684b62a14..228b6cdd6 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationDirector.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationDirector.as
@@ -1,14 +1,22 @@
 package com.threerings.presents.client {
 
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DEvent;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DObject;
 import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DObjectManager;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DSet;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.EventListener;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.ObjectAccessError;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.Subscriber;
 
 import com.threerings.presents.data.ClientObject;
 
 import com.threerings.presents.Log;
 
 public class InvocationDirector
+    implements EventListener
 {
-    public function init (omgr :DObjectManager, cloid :int, client :Client) :void
+    public function init (omgr :DObjectManager, cloid :int, client :Client)
+            :void
     {
         if (_clobj != null) {
             Log.warning("Zoiks, client object around during invmgr init!");
@@ -18,7 +26,7 @@ public class InvocationDirector
         _omgr = omgr;
         _client = client;
 
-        // TODO : lots more
+        _omgr.subscribeToObject(cloid, new ClientSubscriber(this));
     }
 
     public function cleanup () :void
@@ -28,10 +36,111 @@ public class InvocationDirector
         // TODO: lots more
     }
 
-    protected var _omgr :DObjectManager;
+    /**
+     * Registers an invocation notification receiver by way of its
+     * notification event decoder.
+     */
+    public function registerReceiver (decoder :InvocationDecoder) :void
+    {
+        _reclist.push(decoder);
 
-    protected var _client :Client;
+        // if we're already online, assign a recevier id now
+        if (_clobj != null) {
+            assignReceiverId(decoder);
+        }
+    }
 
-    protected var _clobj :ClientObject;
+    // documentation inherited from interface EventListener
+    public function eventReceived (event :DEvent) :void
+    {
+        // TODO
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Assigns a receiver id to this decoder and publishes it in the
+     * {@link ClientObject#receivers} field.
+     */
+    internal function assignReceiverId (decoder :InvocationDecoder) :void
+    {
+        // TODO
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called when we log on; generates mappings for all receivers
+     * registered prior to logon.
+     */
+    internal function assignReceiverIds () :void
+    {
+        _clobj.startTransaction();
+        try {
+            for each (var decoder :InvocationDecoder in _reclist) {
+                assignReceiverId(decoder);
+            }
+        } finally {
+            _clobj.commitTransaction();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called by the ClientSubscriber helper class when the client object
+     * has been returned by the server.
+     */
+    public function gotClientObject (clobj :ClientObject) :void
+    {
+        clobj.addListener(this);
+        clobj.setReceivers(new DSet());
+        _clobj = clobj;
+        assignReceiverIds();
+
+        _client.gotClientObject(clobj);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called by the ClientSubscriber helper class when it fails.
+     */
+    public function gotClientObjectFailed (oid :int, cause :ObjectAccessError)
+            :void
+    {
+        Log.warning("Invocation director unable to subscribe to " +
+            "client object [cloid=" + oid + ", cause=" + cause + "]!");
+        _client.getClientObjectFailed(cause);
+    }
+
+    internal var _omgr :DObjectManager;
+
+    internal var _client :Client;
+
+    internal var _clobj :ClientObject;
+
+    /** All registered receivers are maintained in a list so that we can
+     * assign receiver ids to them when we go online. */
+    internal var _reclist :Array = new Array();
 }
 }
+
+import com.threerings.presents.client.InvocationDirector;
+import com.threerings.presents.data.ClientObject;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DObject;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.ObjectAccessError;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.Subscriber;
+import com.threerings.presents.Log;
+
+class ClientSubscriber implements Subscriber
+{
+    public function ClientSubscriber (invdir :InvocationDirector)
+    {
+        _invdir = invdir;
+    }
+
+    public function objectAvailable (obj :DObject) :void
+    {
+        _invdir.gotClientObject(obj as ClientObject);
+    }
+
+    public function requestFailed (oid :int, cause :ObjectAccessError) :void
+    {
+        _invdir.gotClientObjectFailed(oid, cause);
+    }
+
+    protected var _invdir :InvocationDirector;
+}
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationReceiver.as b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationReceiver.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7e8fc1cb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationReceiver.as
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+//
+// $Id: InvocationReceiver.java 3099 2004-08-27 02:21:06Z mdb $
+//
+// Narya library - tools for developing networked games
+// Copyright (C) 2002-2004 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
+// http://www.threerings.net/code/narya/
+//
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.threerings.presents.client {
+
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DSet;
+
+/**
+ * Invocation notification receipt interfaces should be defined as
+ * extending this interface. Actual notification receivers will implement
+ * the requisite receiver interface definition and register themselves
+ * with the {@link InvocationDirector} using the generated {@link
+ * InvocationDecoder} class specific to the notification receiver
+ * interface in question. For example:
+ *
+ * <pre>
+ * public class FooDirector implements FooReceiver
+ * {
+ *     public FooDirector (PresentsContext ctx)
+ *     {
+ *         InvocationDirector idir = ctx.getClient().getInvocationDirector();
+ *         idir.registerReceiver(new FooDecoder(this));
+ *     }
+ * }
+ * </pre>
+ *
+ * @see InvocationDirector#registerReceiver
+ */
+public interface InvocationReceiver
+{
+    // nada, but see InvocationRegistration
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationRegistration.as b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationRegistration.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39cdb6c9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/client/InvocationRegistration.as
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package com.threerings.presents.client {
+
+import com.threerings.util.Comparable;
+
+import com.threerings.io.ObjectInputStream;
+import com.threerings.io.ObjectOutputStream;
+
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DSet;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DSetEntry;
+
+/**
+ * Used to maintain a registry of invocation receivers that can be
+ * used to convert (large) hash codes into (small) registration
+ * numbers.
+ */
+public class InvocationRegistration
+    implements DSetEntry
+{
+    /** The unique hash code associated with this invocation receiver class. */
+    public var receiverCode :String;
+
+    /** The unique id assigned to this invocation receiver class at
+     * registration time. */
+    public var receiverId :int;
+
+    /** Creates and initializes a registration instance. */
+    public function Registration (receiverCode :String, receiverId :int)
+    {
+        this.receiverCode = receiverCode;
+        this.receiverId = receiverId;
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited from interface DSetEntry
+    public function getKey () :Comparable
+    {
+        return null; // TODO receiverCode;
+        // TODO: maybe we drop the concept of Comparable and just
+        // use any old objects: screw performance
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    public function toString () :String
+    {
+        return "[" + receiverCode + " => " + receiverId + "]";
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited from superinterface Streamable
+    public function writeObject (out :ObjectOutputStream) :void
+    {
+        out.writeField(receiverCode);
+        out.writeShort(receiverId);
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited from superinterface Streamable
+    public function readObject (ins :ObjectInputStream) :void
+    {
+        receiverCode = (ins.readField(String) as String);
+        receiverId = ins.readShort();
+    }
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/data/ClientObject.as b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/data/ClientObject.as
index b633bde30..fe33415dd 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/data/ClientObject.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/data/ClientObject.as
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 package com.threerings.presents.data {
 
+import mx.utils.ObjectUtil;
+
 import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DObject;
 import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DSet;
 
@@ -35,6 +37,11 @@ import com.threerings.io.ObjectOutputStream;
  */
 public class ClientObject extends DObject
 {
+    // AUTO-GENERATED: FIELDS START
+    /** The field name of the <code>receivers</code> field. */
+    public static const RECEIVERS :String = "receivers";
+    // AUTO-GENERATED: FIELDS END
+
     /** Used to publish all invocation service receivers registered on
      * this client. */
     public var receivers :DSet;
@@ -58,5 +65,14 @@ public class ClientObject extends DObject
         super.readObject(ins);
         receivers = (ins.readObject() as DSet);
     }
+
+    // AUTO-GENERATED: METHODS START
+    public function setReceivers (value :DSet) :void
+    {
+        requestAttributeChange(RECEIVERS, value, this.receivers);
+        this.receivers = (value == null) ? null
+                                         : (ObjectUtil.copy(value) as DSet);
+    }
+    // AUTO-GENERATED: METHODS END
 }
 }