diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceController.as b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceController.as
index 827f8d09d..6e8a68a46 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceController.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceController.as
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceConfig;
 import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceObject;
 import com.threerings.crowd.util.CrowdContext;
 
+import com.threerings.events.ControllerEvent;
+
 /**
  * Controls the user interface that is used to display a place. When the
  * client moves to a new place, the appropriate place controller is
@@ -119,6 +121,9 @@ public /*abstract*/ class PlaceController /*extends Controller*/
         _plobj = plobj;
 
         if (_view != null ) {
+            _view.addEventListener(
+                ControllerEvent.TYPE, handleControllerEvent);
+
             // let the UI hierarchy know that we've got our place
             PlaceViewUtil.dispatchWillEnterPlace(_view, plobj);
             // and display the user interface
@@ -172,6 +177,8 @@ public /*abstract*/ class PlaceController /*extends Controller*/
 
         // let the UI hierarchy know that we're outta here
         if (_view != null ) {
+            _view.removeEventListener(
+                ControllerEvent.TYPE, handleControllerEvent);
             PlaceViewUtil.dispatchDidLeavePlace(_view, plobj);
             _ctx.clearPlaceView(_view);
             _view = null;
@@ -180,6 +187,28 @@ public /*abstract*/ class PlaceController /*extends Controller*/
         _plobj = null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Handle the specified action that was generated somewhere in our
+     * view.
+     *
+     * @return true if the action has been handled, false otherwise.
+     */
+    public function handleAction (cmd :String, arg :Object) :Boolean
+    {
+        return false; // by default, no action is handled
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * A callback where we listen to ControllerEvents and unwrap
+     * them for easy handling.
+     */
+    private function handleControllerEvent (event :ControllerEvent) :void
+    {
+        if (handleAction(event.command, event.arg)) {
+            event.stopImmediatePropagation();
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Handles basic place controller action events. Derived classes
      * should be sure to call <code>super.handleAction</code> for events
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceView.as b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceView.as
index 1b486b815..310472629 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceView.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/client/PlaceView.as
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.client {
 
+import flash.events.IEventDispatcher;
+
 import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceObject;
 
 /**
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceObject;
  * com.threerings.crowd.util.CrowdContext} derivative in use by
  * the client, but those are best supplied at construct time.
  */
-public interface PlaceView
+public interface PlaceView extends IEventDispatcher
 {
     /**
      * Called when the client has entered a place and is about to display
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/events/ControllerEvent.as b/src/as/com/threerings/events/ControllerEvent.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0ed61bae0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/events/ControllerEvent.as
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package com.threerings.events {
+
+import flash.events.Event;
+
+public class ControllerEvent extends Event
+{
+    /** The event type for all controller events. */
+    public static const TYPE :String = "controller";
+
+    public var command :String;
+    public var arg :Object;
+
+    public function ControllerEvent (command :String, arg :Object = null)
+    {
+        super(TYPE, true);
+        this.command = command;
+        this.arg = arg;
+    }
+
+    public override function toString () :String
+    {
+        return "ControllerEvent[" + command + " (" + arg + ")]";
+    }
+}
+}