diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java
index 7bd43e703..ab2b93474 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/ChatMessageHandler.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatMessageHandler.java,v 1.3 2001/10/12 19:30:44 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatMessageHandler.java,v 1.4 2001/10/18 20:51:59 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
@@ -37,9 +37,7 @@ public class ChatMessageHandler implements PlaceManager.MessageHandler
         String message = (String)inargs[1];
 
         // and generate a chat notification
-        Object[] outargs = new Object[] { source.username, message };
-        MessageEvent nevt = new MessageEvent(
-            event.getTargetOid(), ChatService.SPEAK_NOTIFICATION, outargs);
-        CrowdServer.omgr.postEvent(nevt);
+        ChatProvider.sendChatMessage(
+            event.getTargetOid(), source.username, message);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
index ea21dc6a8..0c4d823ba 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/server/ChatProvider.java
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 //
-// $Id: ChatProvider.java,v 1.5 2001/10/11 04:07:51 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ChatProvider.java,v 1.6 2001/10/18 20:51:59 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat;
 
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.MessageEvent;
 import com.threerings.presents.server.InvocationProvider;
+
 import com.threerings.crowd.data.BodyObject;
 import com.threerings.crowd.server.CrowdServer;
 
@@ -35,4 +37,22 @@ public class ChatProvider
 
         sendResponse(source, invid, TELL_SUCCEEDED_RESPONSE);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Sends a chat notification to the specified place object originating
+     * with the specified speaker and with the supplied message content.
+     *
+     * @param placeOid the place to which to deliver the chat message.
+     * @param speaker the username of the user that generated the message
+     * (or some special speaker name for server messages).
+     * @param message the text of the chat message.
+     */
+    public static void sendChatMessage (
+        int placeOid, String speaker, String message)
+    {
+        Object[] outargs = new Object[] { speaker, message };
+        MessageEvent nevt = new MessageEvent(
+            placeOid, ChatService.SPEAK_NOTIFICATION, outargs);
+        CrowdServer.omgr.postEvent(nevt);
+    }
 }