diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGameController.as b/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGameController.as
index 52a7049c..9bbbccc3 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGameController.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGameController.as
@@ -65,8 +65,14 @@ public class EZGameController extends GameController
 
     override protected function createPlaceView (ctx :CrowdContext) :PlaceView
     {
-        _panel = new EZGamePanel(ctx, this);
-        return _panel;
+        return new EZGamePanel(ctx, this);
+    }
+
+    override protected function didInit () :void
+    {
+        super.didInit();
+        // retain a casted reference to our panel
+        _panel = (_view as EZGamePanel);
     }
 
     protected var _ezObj :EZGameObject;
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGamePanel.as b/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGamePanel.as
index 1a0f2641..b726f58a 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGamePanel.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/ezgame/client/EZGamePanel.as
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ import mx.utils.DisplayUtil;
 
 import com.threerings.util.MediaContainer;
 
-import com.threerings.mx.controls.ChatDisplayBox;
-
 import com.threerings.crowd.client.PlaceView;
 import com.threerings.crowd.data.PlaceObject;
 import com.threerings.crowd.util.CrowdContext;
@@ -37,8 +35,6 @@ public class EZGamePanel extends VBox
     {
         _ctx = ctx;
         _ctrl = ctrl;
-
-        //addChild(new ChatDisplayBox(ctx));
     }
 
     // from PlaceView