diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
index 7faadecf0..fa8a07d26 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ package com.threerings.util {
 
 import mx.resources.ResourceBundle;
 
-import mx.utils.StringUtil;
-
 /**
  * A message bundle provides an easy mechanism by which to obtain
  * translated message strings from a resource bundle. It uses the {@link
@@ -180,7 +178,7 @@ public class MessageBundle
             return (key + args);
         }
 
-        return mx.utils.StringUtil.substitute(msg, args);
+        return StringUtil.substitute(msg, args);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
index 95ad53e0a..39ccd0ee2 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
@@ -91,6 +91,14 @@ public class StringUtil
         return str;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Substitute "{n}" tokens for the corresponding passed-in arguments.
+     */
+    public static function substitute (str :String, ... args) :String
+    {
+        return mx.utils.StringUtil.substitute(str, args);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Utility function that strips whitespace from the ends of a String.
      */