diff --git a/src/Acme/Serve/Serve.java b/src/Acme/Serve/Serve.java
index 49214072..e12d3e16 100644
--- a/src/Acme/Serve/Serve.java
+++ b/src/Acme/Serve/Serve.java
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ public class Serve implements ServletContext, Runnable
     private int port;
     private PrintStream logStream;
     Acme.WildcardDictionary registry;
+    // the servlet to use if no other matches the request
+    Servlet defaultServlet;
     Properties props;
 
     /// Constructor.
@@ -268,6 +270,10 @@ public class Serve implements ServletContext, Runnable
 	registry.remove (urlPat);
 	}
 
+    public void setDefaultServlet (Servlet servlet) {
+	defaultServlet = servlet;
+    }
+	
     /// Register a standard set of Servlets.  These will return
     // files or directory listings, and run CGI programs, much like a
     // standard HTTP server.
@@ -653,6 +659,8 @@ class ServeConnection implements Runnable, HttpServletRequest, HttpServletRespon
 	    if (reqQuery != null)
 	    	reqQuery = decode (reqQuery);
 	    Servlet servlet = (Servlet) serve.registry.get( reqUriPath );
+	    if (servlet == null)
+	    	servlet = serve.defaultServlet;
 	    if ( servlet != null )
 		runServlet( (HttpServlet) servlet );
 	    else if ( "/".equals( reqUriPath ))