diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as
index e9c2e6217..f9811c6c2 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.as
@@ -493,9 +493,7 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
         var success :Function = function (
                 idleTime :Long, awayMessage :String) :void
         {
-            var feedback :String = xlate(_bundle, MessageBundle.tcompose(
-                "m.told_format", target, message));
-            dispatchMessage(new TellFeedbackMessage(feedback));
+            dispatchMessage(new TellFeedbackMessage(target, message));
             addChatter(target);
             if (rl != null) {
                 rl.requestCompleted(target);
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.as b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.as
index b56e6131f..5e2982833 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.as
@@ -21,17 +21,19 @@
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat.data {
 
+import com.threerings.util.Name;
+
 /**
  * A feedback message to indicate that a tell succeeded.
  */
-public class TellFeedbackMessage extends ChatMessage
+public class TellFeedbackMessage extends UserMessage
 {
     /**
      * A tell feedback message is only composed on the client.
      */
-    public function TellFeedbackMessage (message :String)
+    public function TellFeedbackMessage (target :Name, message :String)
     {
-        super(message, null);
+        super(target, null, message);
         setClientInfo(message, ChatCodes.PLACE_CHAT_TYPE);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
index 864a7d64f..918101726 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/client/ChatDirector.java
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
         // create a listener that will report success or failure
         ChatService.TellListener listener = new ChatService.TellListener() {
             public void tellSucceeded (long idletime, String awayMessage) {
-                success(xlate(_bundle, MessageBundle.tcompose("m.told_format", target, message)));
+                success();
 
                 // if they have an away message, report that
                 if (awayMessage != null) {
@@ -524,8 +524,8 @@ public class ChatDirector extends BasicDirector
                 }
             }
 
-            protected void success (String feedback) {
-                dispatchMessage(new TellFeedbackMessage(feedback));
+            protected void success () {
+                dispatchMessage(new TellFeedbackMessage(target, message));
                 addChatter(target);
                 if (rl != null) {
                     rl.requestCompleted(target);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.java
index 2339d997c..e14b2ef03 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/chat/data/TellFeedbackMessage.java
@@ -21,17 +21,19 @@
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.chat.data;
 
+import com.threerings.util.Name;
+
 /**
  * A feedback message to indicate that a tell succeeded.
  */
-public class TellFeedbackMessage extends ChatMessage
+public class TellFeedbackMessage extends UserMessage
 {
     /**
      * A tell feedback message is only composed on the client.
      */
-    public TellFeedbackMessage (String message)
+    public TellFeedbackMessage (Name target, String message)
     {
-        super(message, null);
+        super(target, null, message, ChatCodes.DEFAULT_MODE);
         setClientInfo(message, ChatCodes.PLACE_CHAT_TYPE);
     }
 }