diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextFieldUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextFieldUtil.as
index 7ff8fa17..81c70aa8 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextFieldUtil.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextFieldUtil.as
@@ -89,6 +89,17 @@ public class TextFieldUtil
         return f;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Update the defaultTextFormat for the specified field, as well as all text therein.
+     */
+    public static function updateFormat (field :TextField, props :Object) :void
+    {
+        var f :TextFormat = field.defaultTextFormat; // this gets a clone of the default fmt
+        Util.init(f, props); // update the clone
+        field.defaultTextFormat = f; // set it as the new default
+        field.text = field.text; // jiggle the text to update it
+    }
+
     /**
      * Include the specified TextField in a set of TextFields in which only
      * one may have a selection at a time.