diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
index 86504d328..3cd9d4ac1 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageBundle.as
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
 
 package com.threerings.util {
 
-import mx.resources.ResourceBundle;
-
 /**
  * A message bundle provides an easy mechanism by which to obtain
  * translated message strings from a resource bundle. It uses the {@link
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageManager.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageManager.as
index 38853e51e..56bf0a86f 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageManager.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/MessageManager.as
@@ -21,10 +21,9 @@
 
 package com.threerings.util {
 
-import mx.managers.ISystemManager;
-
-import mx.resources.Locale;
-import mx.resources.ResourceBundle;
+//import mx.managers.ISystemManager;
+//
+//import mx.resources.Locale;
 
 /**
  * The message manager provides a thin wrapper around Java's built-in
@@ -61,36 +60,36 @@ public class MessageManager
      * ResourceBundle#getBundle(String,Locale,ClassLoader)} for a more
      * detailed explanation of how resource bundle paths are resolved.
      */
-    public function MessageManager (sysMgr :ISystemManager)
+    public function MessageManager ()
     {
-        // use the default locale
-        _locale = Locale.getCurrent(sysMgr);
+//        // use the default locale
+//        _locale = Locale.getCurrent(sysMgr);
 
         // load up the global bundle
         _global = getBundle(GLOBAL_BUNDLE);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Get the locale that is being used to translate messages.
-     * This may be useful if using standard translations, for example
-     * new SimpleDateFormat("EEEE", getLocale()) to get the name of a weekday
-     * that matches the language being used for all other client translations.
-     */
-    public function getLocale () :Locale
-    {
-        return _locale;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Sets the locale to the specified locale. Subsequent message bundles
-     * fetched via the message manager will use the new locale. The
-     * message bundle cache will also be cleared.
-     */
-    public function setLocale (locale :Locale) :void
-    {
-        _locale = locale;
-        _cache.clear();
-    }
+//    /**
+//     * Get the locale that is being used to translate messages.
+//     * This may be useful if using standard translations, for example
+//     * new SimpleDateFormat("EEEE", getLocale()) to get the name of a weekday
+//     * that matches the language being used for all other client translations.
+//     */
+//    public function getLocale () :Locale
+//    {
+//        return _locale;
+//    }
+//
+//    /**
+//     * Sets the locale to the specified locale. Subsequent message bundles
+//     * fetched via the message manager will use the new locale. The
+//     * message bundle cache will also be cleared.
+//     */
+//    public function setLocale (locale :Locale) :void
+//    {
+//        _locale = locale;
+//        _cache.clear();
+//    }
 
     /**
      * Fetches the message bundle for the specified path. If no bundle can
@@ -154,8 +153,8 @@ public class MessageManager
         return bundle;
     }
 
-    /** The locale for which we're obtaining message bundles. */
-    protected var _locale :Locale;
+//    /** The locale for which we're obtaining message bundles. */
+//    protected var _locale :Locale;
 
     /** A cache of instantiated message bundles. */
     protected var _cache :HashMap = new HashMap();
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ResourceBundle.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ResourceBundle.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e89aeb1d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ResourceBundle.as
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+package com.threerings.util {
+
+import flash.system.ApplicationDomain;
+
+/**
+ * A non-flex version of ResourceBundle.
+ */
+public /*abstract*/ class ResourceBundle
+{
+    /**
+     * Get a resource bundle by name.
+     */
+    public static function getResourceBundle (
+        baseName :String, appDom :ApplicationDomain = null) :ResourceBundle
+    {
+        if (appDom == null) {
+            appDom = ApplicationDomain.currentDomain;
+        }
+
+        var className :String = baseName + "_properties";
+        if (appDom.hasDefinition(className)) {
+            var obj :Object = new (Class(appDom.getDefinition(className)))();
+            if (obj is ResourceBundle) {
+                var rb :ResourceBundle = ResourceBundle(obj);
+                rb.initialize(baseName);
+                return rb;
+            }
+        }
+
+        throw new Error("Could not find resource bundle " + baseName);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a resource value as a String.
+     */
+    public function getString (key :String) :String
+    {
+        return String(getObject(key));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get a resouce value as the raw type contained within the content
+     * object.
+     */
+    public function getObject (key :String) :Object
+    {
+        var val :Object = _content[key];
+        if (val != null) {
+            return val;
+        }
+        throw new Error("Key '" + key + "' was not found in resource bundle '" +
+            _name + "'.");
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Internal initialization method.
+     */
+    private function initialize (name :String) :void
+    {
+        _content = getContent();
+        if (_content == null) {
+            throw new Error("No content found in resource bundle '" + name + "'.");
+        }
+        _name = name;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the content of this resource bundle.
+     * You may override this to do custom stuff.
+     */
+    protected function getContent () :Object
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    /** The name of this bundle. */
+    protected var _name :String;
+
+    /** Contains resource bundle values. */
+    protected var _content :Object;
+}
+}