diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/PlaceManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/PlaceManager.java
index 078d67f1d..ca17ff463 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/PlaceManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/server/PlaceManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: PlaceManager.java,v 1.30 2002/05/24 05:58:55 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: PlaceManager.java,v 1.31 2002/06/20 22:12:22 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.server;
 
@@ -215,12 +215,24 @@ public class PlaceManager
 
         } catch (Exception e) {
             Log.warning("Failure building occupant info " +
-                        "[body=" + body + "].");
+                        "[where=" + where() + ", body=" + body + "].");
             Log.logStackTrace(e);
             return null;
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a string that can be used in log messages to identify the
+     * place as sensibly as possible to the developer who has to puzzle
+     * over log output trying to figure out what's going on. Derived place
+     * managers can override this and augment the default value (which is
+     * simply the place object id) with useful identifying information.
+     */
+    protected String where ()
+    {
+        return String.valueOf(_plobj.getOid());
+    }
+
     /**
      * Derived classes should override this method if they are making use
      * of a derived occupant info class. They should call the super
@@ -239,8 +251,7 @@ public class PlaceManager
      */
     protected void bodyEntered (final int bodyOid)
     {
-        Log.debug("Body entered [ploid=" + _plobj.getOid() +
-                  ", oid=" + bodyOid + "].");
+        Log.debug("Body entered [where=" + where() + ", oid=" + bodyOid + "].");
 
         // let our delegates know what's up
         applyToDelegates(new DelegateOp() {
@@ -255,8 +266,7 @@ public class PlaceManager
      */
     protected void bodyLeft (final int bodyOid)
     {
-        Log.debug("Body left [ploid=" + _plobj.getOid() +
-                  ", oid=" + bodyOid + "].");
+        Log.debug("Body left [where=" + where() + ", oid=" + bodyOid + "].");
 
         // if their occupant info hasn't been removed (which may be the
         // case if they logged off rather than left via a MoveTo request),
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java
index 8acc6215c..bc66c5cc2 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: SceneManager.java,v 1.9 2001/12/14 01:51:46 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: SceneManager.java,v 1.10 2002/06/20 22:12:23 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.whirled.server;
 
@@ -85,6 +85,12 @@ public class SceneManager extends PlaceManager
         _screg.unmapSceneManager(this);
     }
 
+    // documentation inherited
+    protected String where ()
+    {
+        return _scene.getName() + " (" + super.where() + ")";
+    }
+
     // documentation inherited
     protected void toString (StringBuffer buf)
     {