diff --git a/direct/src/distributed/AstronInternalRepository.py b/direct/src/distributed/AstronInternalRepository.py
index f05f12efb0..e177e6595d 100644
--- a/direct/src/distributed/AstronInternalRepository.py
+++ b/direct/src/distributed/AstronInternalRepository.py
@@ -421,3 +421,13 @@ class AstronInternalRepository(ConnectionRepository):
         for arg in args:
             dg.addString(str(arg))
         self.eventSocket.Send(dg.getMessage())
+		
+	def setAI(self, doID, aiChannel):
+		"""
+		Sets the AI of the specified DistributedObjectAI to be the specified channel.
+		Generally, you should not call this method, and instead call DistributedObjectAI.setAI.
+		"""
+		dg = PyDatagram()
+		dg.addServerHeader(doID, aiChannel, MsgTypes.STATESERVER_OBJECT_SET_AI)
+		dg.add_uint64(aiChannel)
+		dg.send(dg)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py
index 3e3261d0dc..5a47194d82 100644
--- a/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py
+++ b/direct/src/distributed/DistributedObjectAI.py
@@ -568,4 +568,7 @@ class DistributedObjectAI(DistributedObjectBase):
     def _retrieveCachedData(self):
         """ This is a no-op on the AI. """
         pass
+		
+	def setAI(self, aiChannel):
+		self.air.setAI(self.doId, aiChannel)