diff --git a/pillar_tool/routers/hostgroup.py b/pillar_tool/routers/hostgroup.py
index 81beee2..01486de 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/routers/hostgroup.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/routers/hostgroup.py
@@ -140,10 +140,10 @@ def hostgroup_create(req: Request, name: str, params: HostgroupParams):
 
     print("[DEBUG] hostgroup_create: creating hostgroup hierarchy with {} label(s): {}".format(len(labels), labels))
 
-    stmt = select(Host).where(and_(Host.name == bindparam('name'), Host.is_hostgroup == True, Host.parent_id == bindparam('last')))
     last = None
     for label in labels:
-        result = db.execute(stmt, {'name': label, 'last': last}).fetchall()
+        stmt = select(Host).where(and_(Host.name == label, Host.is_hostgroup == True, Host.parent_id == last))
+        result = db.execute(stmt).fetchall()
 
         if len(result) == 1:
             # simply step down through the hierarchy