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diff --git a/pillar_tool/middleware/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-313.pyc b/pillar_tool/middleware/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-313.pyc
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diff --git a/pillar_tool/middleware/__pycache__/basicauth_backend.cpython-313.pyc b/pillar_tool/middleware/__pycache__/basicauth_backend.cpython-313.pyc
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diff --git a/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py b/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py
index 8c63271..8286ac3 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from starlette.requests import Request
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends
 from starlette.responses import JSONResponse
 
-from pillar_tool.db import Host, Pillar
+from pillar_tool.db import Host, Pillar, TopFile
 from pillar_tool.db.models.top_data import State, StateAssignment
 from pillar_tool.db.queries.pillar_queries import get_pillar_for_target
 from pillar_tool.schemas import PillarParams, get_model_from_query
@@ -83,9 +83,20 @@ def pillar_get(req: Request, target: str) -> JSONResponse:
 
         path.reverse()
 
+    # create 'virtual' pillar for states
+    stmt_states = select(State).join(TopFile, TopFile.state_id == State.id).where(TopFile.host_id == host.id)
+    states_list: list[str] = [ x[0].name for x in db.execute(stmt_states).fetchall() ]
+
+    # create path name
+    hostgroup_name = '/'.join(x.name for x in path[:-1])
+
     print("[DEBUG] pillar_get: resolved host hierarchy with {} hosts: {}".format(len(path), [h.name for h in path]))
 
     out = merge([get_pillar_for_target(db, host.id) for host in path]) # type: ignore
+    out.update({
+        "states": states_list,
+        "hostgroup": hostgroup_name
+    })
     print("[DEBUG] pillar_get: merged pillar data contains {} top-level key(s)".format(len(out)))
     return JSONResponse(status_code=200, content=out)