diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.java b/src/java/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.java
index 75cd53cbc..8aee6a1f4 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/util/StreamableHashMap.java
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ import com.threerings.io.Streamable;
 public class StreamableHashMap<K, V> extends HashMap<K, V>
     implements Streamable
 {
+    /**
+     * Creates an empty StreamableHashMap
+     */
+    public static <K, V> StreamableHashMap<K, V> newMap ()
+    {
+        return new StreamableHashMap<K, V>();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Constructs an empty hash map with the specified number of hash
      * buckets.