diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/client/GameController.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/client/GameController.java
index 690467c3..a543e206 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/client/GameController.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/client/GameController.java
@@ -296,6 +296,16 @@ public abstract class GameController extends PlaceController
         });
     }
 
+    @Override // from PlaceController
+    protected void ratifyDelegate (PlaceControllerDelegate delegate)
+    {
+        super.ratifyDelegate(delegate);
+        if (!(delegate instanceof GameControllerDelegate)) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+                "Must provide GameController with GameControllerDelegate");
+        }
+    }
+
     /** A reference to the active parlor context. */
     protected ParlorContext _ctx;
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/server/GameManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/server/GameManager.java
index 51648a88..c1c66498 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/server/GameManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/server/GameManager.java
@@ -1283,6 +1283,15 @@ public class GameManager extends PlaceManager
         // nothing for now
     }
 
+    @Override // from PlaceManager
+    protected void ratifyDelegate (PlaceManagerDelegate delegate)
+    {
+        super.ratifyDelegate(delegate);
+        if (!(delegate instanceof GameManagerDelegate)) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Must provide GameManager with GameManagerDelegate");
+        }
+    }
+
     /** Listens for game state changes. */
     protected AttributeChangeListener _stateListener = new AttributeChangeListener() {
         public void attributeChanged (AttributeChangedEvent event) {