diff --git a/activities/chat/ChatActivity.py b/activities/chat/ChatActivity.py
index 3239b6e7..f014e16c 100644
--- a/activities/chat/ChatActivity.py
+++ b/activities/chat/ChatActivity.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import logging
 
 import gtk
 import gobject
+from gettext import gettext as _
 
 from sugar.activity.Activity import Activity
 from sugar.presence import Service
@@ -17,22 +18,14 @@ _CHAT_ACTIVITY_TYPE = "_chat_activity_type._tcp"
 
 class ChatActivity(Activity):
 	def __init__(self, service):
-		Activity.__init__(self, _CHAT_ACTIVITY_TYPE)
+		Activity.__init__(self)
+		self.set_title(_('Private chat'))
+
 		self._service = service
 		self._chat = BuddyChat(self._service)
-	
-	def on_connected_to_shell(self):
-		self.set_tab_text(self._service.get_name())
-		self.set_can_close(True)
-		self.set_tab_icon(name = "im")
-		self.set_show_tab_icon(True)
+		self.add(self._chat)
+		self._chat.show()		
 
-		plug = self.gtk_plug()		
-		plug.add(self._chat)
-		self._chat.show()
-
-		plug.show()
-	
 	def recv_message(self, message):
 		self._chat.recv_message(message)
 
@@ -45,8 +38,8 @@ class ChatShellDbusService(dbus.service.Object):
 		dbus.service.Object.__init__(self, bus_name, object_path)
 
 	@dbus.service.method('com.redhat.Sugar.ChatShell')
-	def open_chat(self, serialized_service):
-		self._parent.open_chat(Service.deserialize(serialized_service))
+	def open_chat(self, service_path):
+		self._parent.open_chat(service_path)
 
 class ChatListener:
 	def __init__(self):
@@ -81,7 +74,8 @@ class ChatListener:
 			logging.error('The buddy %s is not present.' % (nick))
 			return
 		
-	def open_chat(self, service):
+	def open_chat(self, service_path):
+		service = self._pservice._new_object(service_path)
 		chat = ChatActivity(service)
 		self._chats[service.get_name()] = chat
 		gobject.idle_add(self._connect_chat, chat)
diff --git a/activities/chat/chat.activity b/activities/chat/chat.activity
index 6509f087..a0c876d6 100644
--- a/activities/chat/chat.activity
+++ b/activities/chat/chat.activity
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 name = Chat
 id = com.redhat.Sugar.ChatActivity
 python_module = ChatActivity.ChatActivity
+default_type = _web_olpc._udp
diff --git a/shell/PresenceService/Buddy.py b/shell/PresenceService/Buddy.py
index 5a6c961b..33eae9dc 100644
--- a/shell/PresenceService/Buddy.py
+++ b/shell/PresenceService/Buddy.py
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ class BuddyDBusHelper(dbus.service.Object):
 		return icon
 
 	@dbus.service.method(BUDDY_DBUS_INTERFACE,
-						in_signature="", out_signature="o")
+						in_signature="s", out_signature="o")
 	def getServiceOfType(self, stype):
 		service = self._parent.get_service_of_type(stype)
 		if not service:
 			raise NotFoundError("Not found")
-		return service
+		return service.object_path()
 
 	@dbus.service.method(BUDDY_DBUS_INTERFACE,
 						in_signature="", out_signature="ao")
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ class Buddy(object):
 			for service in self._services.values():
 				if service.get_type() == stype and service.get_activity_id() == actid:
 					return service
+
 		if self._services.has_key(stype):
 			return self._services[stype]
 		return None
diff --git a/shell/PresenceView.py b/shell/PresenceView.py
index c9c20021..05397354 100644
--- a/shell/PresenceView.py
+++ b/shell/PresenceView.py
@@ -110,12 +110,12 @@ class PresenceView(gtk.VBox):
 		buddy = view.get_model().get_value(aniter, self._MODEL_COL_BUDDY)
 		if buddy:
 			chat_service = buddy.get_service_of_type(BuddyChat.SERVICE_TYPE)
+			print chat_service
 			if chat_service:
 				bus = dbus.SessionBus()
 				proxy_obj = bus.get_object('com.redhat.Sugar.Chat', '/com/redhat/Sugar/Chat')
 				chat_shell = dbus.Interface(proxy_obj, 'com.redhat.Sugar.ChatShell')
-				serialized_service = Service.serialize(chat_service)
-				chat_shell.open_chat(serialized_service)
+				chat_shell.open_chat(chat_service.object_path())
 			else:
 				print 'Could not find buddy chat'