diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/stage/server/StageSceneManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/stage/server/StageSceneManager.java
index f9da1afb..794a1e81 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/stage/server/StageSceneManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/stage/server/StageSceneManager.java
@@ -205,9 +205,9 @@ public class StageSceneManager extends SpotSceneManager
     }
 
     @Override // documentation inherited
-    protected void gotSceneData ()
+    protected void gotSceneData (Object extras)
     {
-        super.gotSceneData();
+        super.gotSceneData(extras);
 
         // cast some scene related bits
         _sscene = (StageScene)_scene;
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java
index b713ae4a..55dab37c 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneManager.java
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public class SceneManager extends PlaceManager
      * Called by the scene registry once the scene manager has been created (and initialized), but
      * before it is started up.
      */
-    protected void setSceneData (Scene scene, UpdateList updates, SceneRegistry screg)
+    protected void setSceneData (Scene scene, UpdateList updates, Object extras, SceneRegistry screg)
     {
         _scene = scene;
         _screg = screg;
@@ -99,15 +99,18 @@ public class SceneManager extends PlaceManager
         }
 
         // let derived classes react to the receipt of scene data
-        gotSceneData();
+        gotSceneData(extras);
     }
 
     /**
      * A method that can be overridden by derived classes to perform initialization processing
      * after we receive our scene information but before we're started up (and hence registered as
      * an active place).
+     *
+     * @param extras optional additional information supplied by the repository when the scene was
+     * loaded, or null if the repository provided no extras.
      */
-    protected void gotSceneData ()
+    protected void gotSceneData (Object extras)
     {
     }
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneRegistry.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneRegistry.java
index f65cf781..21ac9520 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneRegistry.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneRegistry.java
@@ -168,21 +168,20 @@ public class SceneRegistry
         // otherwise we have to load the scene from the repository
         final int fsceneId = sceneId;
         _invoker.postUnit(new RepositoryUnit("resolveScene(" + sceneId + ")") {
-            @Override
-            public void invokePersist () throws Exception {
+            @Override public void invokePersist () throws Exception {
                 _model = _screp.loadSceneModel(fsceneId);
                 _updates = _screp.loadUpdates(fsceneId);
+                _extras = _screp.loadExtras(fsceneId);
             }
-            @Override
-            public void handleSuccess () {
-                processSuccessfulResolution(_model, _updates);
+            @Override public void handleSuccess () {
+                processSuccessfulResolution(_model, _updates, _extras);
             }
-            @Override
-            public void handleFailure (Exception error) {
+            @Override public void handleFailure (Exception error) {
                 processFailedResolution(fsceneId, error);
             }
             protected SceneModel _model;
             protected UpdateList _updates;
+            protected Object _extras;
         });
     }
 
@@ -240,7 +239,8 @@ public class SceneRegistry
     /**
      * Called when the scene resolution has completed successfully.
      */
-    protected void processSuccessfulResolution (SceneModel model, final UpdateList updates)
+    protected void processSuccessfulResolution (
+        SceneModel model, final UpdateList updates, final Object extras)
     {
         // now that the scene is loaded, we can create a scene manager for it. that will be
         // initialized by the place registry and when that is finally complete, then we can let our
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ public class SceneRegistry
             // now create our scene manager
             _plreg.createPlace(scene.getPlaceConfig(), new PlaceRegistry.PreStartupHook() {
                 public void invoke (PlaceManager pmgr) {
-                    ((SceneManager)pmgr).setSceneData(scene, updates, SceneRegistry.this);
+                    ((SceneManager)pmgr).setSceneData(scene, updates, extras, SceneRegistry.this);
                 }
             });
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/DummySceneRepository.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/DummySceneRepository.java
index 4fa3bf1b..a9454ea9 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/DummySceneRepository.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/DummySceneRepository.java
@@ -47,11 +47,18 @@ public class DummySceneRepository implements SceneRepository
 
     // documentation inherited from interface
     public UpdateList loadUpdates (int sceneId)
-        throws PersistenceException, NoSuchSceneException
+        throws PersistenceException
     {
         return new UpdateList();
     }
 
+    // documentation inherited from interface
+    public Object loadExtras (int sceneId)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
     // documentation inherited from interface
     public void applyAndRecordUpdate (SceneModel model, SceneUpdate update)
         throws PersistenceException
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/SceneRepository.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/SceneRepository.java
index 5efde3cd..98eedf24 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/SceneRepository.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/persist/SceneRepository.java
@@ -29,21 +29,18 @@ import com.threerings.whirled.util.NoSuchSceneException;
 import com.threerings.whirled.util.UpdateList;
 
 /**
- * The scene repository provides the basic interface for loading and
- * updating scene data. It is used by the scene registry and though more
- * scene related persistence services may be needed in a full-fledged
- * application, the scene repository only encapsulates those needed by the
- * scene registry and other services provided by the Whirled framework.
+ * The scene repository provides the basic interface for loading and updating scene data. It is
+ * used by the scene registry and though more scene related persistence services may be needed in a
+ * full-fledged application, the scene repository only encapsulates those needed by the scene
+ * registry and other services provided by the Whirled framework.
  */
 public interface SceneRepository
 {
     /**
      * Fetches the model for the scene with the specified scene id.
      *
-     * @exception PersistenceException thrown if an error occurs
-     * attempting to load the scene data.
-     * @exception NoSuchSceneException thrown if no scene exists with the
-     * specified scene id.
+     * @exception PersistenceException thrown if an error occurs attempting to load the scene data.
+     * @exception NoSuchSceneException thrown if no scene exists with the specified scene id.
      */
     public SceneModel loadSceneModel (int sceneId)
         throws PersistenceException, NoSuchSceneException;
@@ -51,22 +48,26 @@ public interface SceneRepository
     /**
      * Fetches the set of updates associated with the specified scene.
      *
-     * @exception PersistenceException thrown if an error occurs
-     * attempting to load the scene updates.
-     * @exception NoSuchSceneException thrown if no scene exists with the
-     * specified scene id.
+     * @exception PersistenceException thrown if an error occurs attempting to load the scene
+     * updates.
      */
     public UpdateList loadUpdates (int sceneId)
-        throws PersistenceException, NoSuchSceneException;
+        throws PersistenceException;
 
     /**
-     * Applise the supplied scene update to persistent representation of
-     * its associated scene, then stores the update persistently for
-     * future invocations of the server to load. <em>Note:</em> the scene
-     * update will have already been applied to the supplied scene model.
+     * Loads optional additional scene data. This data is loaded during the scene resolution
+     * process and made available to the scene manager via {@link SceneManager#gotSceneData}.
+     */
+    public Object loadExtras (int sceneId)
+        throws PersistenceException;
+
+    /**
+     * Applise the supplied scene update to persistent representation of its associated scene, then
+     * stores the update persistently for future invocations of the server to load. <em>Note:</em>
+     * the scene update will have already been applied to the supplied scene model.
      *
-     * @exception PersistenceException thrown if an error occurs
-     * attempting to apply the scene update.
+     * @exception PersistenceException thrown if an error occurs attempting to apply the scene
+     * update.
      */
     public void applyAndRecordUpdate (SceneModel model, SceneUpdate update)
         throws PersistenceException;
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
index 03b8c8e3..57e4347d 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/spot/server/SpotSceneManager.java
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ public class SpotSceneManager extends SceneManager
     }
 
     @Override
-    protected void gotSceneData ()
+    protected void gotSceneData (Object extras)
     {
-        super.gotSceneData();
+        super.gotSceneData(extras);
 
         // keep a casted reference around to our scene
         _sscene = (SpotScene)_scene;