diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/DObject.java b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/DObject.java
index 3a65d88d5..85b4b8400 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/DObject.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/DObject.java
@@ -613,28 +613,28 @@ public class DObject
      * // simple usage
      * DObject o1 = new DObject();
      * BaseLocalAttr base = new BaseLocalAttr();
-     * o1.setLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class, base);
-     * assertSame(o1.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class), base); // true
+     * o1.setLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class, base);
+     * assertSame(o1.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class), base); // true
      *
      * // polymorphic usage
      * DObject o2 = new DObject();
      * DerivedLocalAttr derived = new DerivedLocalAttr();
-     * o2.setLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
+     * o2.setLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
      * BaseLocalAttr upcasted = derived;
-     * assertSame(o2.getLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class), derived); // true
-     * assertSame(o2.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class), upcasted); // true
+     * assertSame(o2.getLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class), derived); // true
+     * assertSame(o2.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class), upcasted); // true
      *
      * // cannot overwrite already set attribute
      * DObject o3 = new DObject();
-     * o3.setLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
-     * o3.setLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class, new DerivedLocalAttr()); // will fail
-     * o3.setLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class, new BaseLocalAttr()); // will fail
+     * o3.setLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
+     * o3.setLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class, new DerivedLocalAttr()); // will fail
+     * o3.setLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class, new BaseLocalAttr()); // will fail
      * </pre>
      *
      * @exception IllegalStateException thrown if an attempt is made to set a local attribute that
      * already contains a non-null value with any non-null value.
      */
-    public <T> void setLocalAttribute (Class<T> key, T attr)
+    public <T> void setLocal (Class<T> key, T attr)
     {
         // locate any existing attribute that matches our key
         for (int ii = 0, ll = _locattrs.length; ii < ll; ii++) {
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ public class DObject
      * information on key polymorphism. Returns null if no attribute is found that matches the
      * supplied key.
      */
-    public <T> T getLocalAttribute (Class<T> key)
+    public <T> T getLocal (Class<T> key)
     {
         for (Object attr : _locattrs) {
             if (key.isInstance(attr)) {
diff --git a/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/LocalAttrTest.java b/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/LocalAttrTest.java
index dd12907b2..4443b9803 100644
--- a/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/LocalAttrTest.java
+++ b/tests/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/LocalAttrTest.java
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ public class LocalAttrTest
     {
         DObject o1 = new DObject();
         BaseLocalAttr base = new BaseLocalAttr();
-        o1.setLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class, base);
-        assertSame(o1.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class), base);
+        o1.setLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class, base);
+        assertSame(o1.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class), base);
     }
 
     @Test public void testPoly ()
@@ -33,22 +33,22 @@ public class LocalAttrTest
         // polymorphic usage
         DObject o2 = new DObject();
         DerivedLocalAttr derived = new DerivedLocalAttr();
-        o2.setLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
+        o2.setLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
         BaseLocalAttr upcasted = derived;
-        assertSame(o2.getLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class), derived);
-        assertSame(o2.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class), upcasted);
+        assertSame(o2.getLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class), derived);
+        assertSame(o2.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class), upcasted);
 
         // cannot overwrite already set attribute
         DObject o3 = new DObject();
-        o3.setLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
+        o3.setLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class, derived);
         try {
-            o3.setLocalAttribute(DerivedLocalAttr.class, new DerivedLocalAttr());
+            o3.setLocal(DerivedLocalAttr.class, new DerivedLocalAttr());
             fail("Object allowed attribute overwrite.");
         } catch (IllegalStateException ise) {
             // good
         }
         try {
-            o3.setLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class, new BaseLocalAttr());
+            o3.setLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class, new BaseLocalAttr());
             fail("Object allowed polymorhic attribute overwrite.");
         } catch (IllegalStateException ise) {
             // good
@@ -59,13 +59,13 @@ public class LocalAttrTest
     {
         DObject o1 = new DObject();
         BaseLocalAttr base = new BaseLocalAttr();
-        o1.setLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class, base);
-        assertSame(o1.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class), base);
-        o1.setLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class, null);
-        assertNull(o1.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class));
+        o1.setLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class, base);
+        assertSame(o1.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class), base);
+        o1.setLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class, null);
+        assertNull(o1.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class));
         BaseLocalAttr nbase = new BaseLocalAttr();
-        o1.setLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class, nbase);
-        assertNotSame(o1.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class), base);
-        assertSame(o1.getLocalAttribute(BaseLocalAttr.class), nbase);
+        o1.setLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class, nbase);
+        assertNotSame(o1.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class), base);
+        assertSame(o1.getLocal(BaseLocalAttr.class), nbase);
     }
 }