diff --git a/pillar_tool/db/migrations/versions/2026_02_21_2338-ec7c818f92b5_renamed_bad_parameter.py b/pillar_tool/db/migrations/versions/2026_02_21_2338-ec7c818f92b5_renamed_bad_parameter.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..471738d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pillar_tool/db/migrations/versions/2026_02_21_2338-ec7c818f92b5_renamed_bad_parameter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+"""renamed bad parameter
+
+Revision ID: ec7c818f92b5
+Revises: 58c2a8e7c302
+Create Date: 2026-02-21 23:38:00.609470
+
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision: str = 'ec7c818f92b5'
+down_revision: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = '58c2a8e7c302'
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    """Upgrade schema."""
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.add_column('pillar_tool_pillar', sa.Column('parameter_type', sa.String(), nullable=False))
+    op.drop_column('pillar_tool_pillar', 'type')
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    """Downgrade schema."""
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.add_column('pillar_tool_pillar', sa.Column('type', sa.VARCHAR(), autoincrement=False, nullable=False))
+    op.drop_column('pillar_tool_pillar', 'parameter_type')
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
diff --git a/pillar_tool/db/models/pillar_data.py b/pillar_tool/db/models/pillar_data.py
index c20cafb..8280c75 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/db/models/pillar_data.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/db/models/pillar_data.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class Pillar(Base):
     id = Column(UUID, primary_key=True)
     pillar_name = Column(String, nullable=False)
     host_id = Column(UUID, ForeignKey('pillar_tool_host.id'), nullable=True)
-    type = Column(String, nullable=False)
+    parameter_type = Column(String, nullable=False)
     value = Column(String, nullable=False)
 
     __table_args__ = (
diff --git a/pillar_tool/ptcli/cli/pillar.py b/pillar_tool/ptcli/cli/pillar.py
index f019b93..0d94953 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/ptcli/cli/pillar.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/ptcli/cli/pillar.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import json
+
 import click
 import requests
 
@@ -22,4 +24,38 @@ def pillar_get(fqdn):
         pillar_data = response.json()
         click.echo(pillar_data)
     except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
-        click.echo(f"Error: {e}")
\ No newline at end of file
+        click.echo(f"Error: {e}")
+
+@pillar.command("set")
+@click.argument("name")
+@click.option("--host")
+@click.option("--hostgroup")
+@click.option("--parameter-type")
+@click.option("--value")
+def pillar_set(name: str, host: str | None, hostgroup: str | None, parameter_type: str | None, value: str | None):
+    try:
+        if parameter_type == 'str':
+            pass # there is nothing to do here
+        elif parameter_type == 'int':
+            _ = int(value)
+        elif parameter_type == 'float':
+            _ = float(value)
+        elif parameter_type == 'bool':
+            _ = bool(value)
+        elif parameter_type == 'list':
+            value = json.loads(value)
+        elif parameter_type == 'dict':
+            value = json.loads(value)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("Invalid parameter type")
+    except ValueError as e:
+        print(f"Failed to validate value: {e}")
+    else:
+        data = {
+            'host': host,
+            'hostgroup': hostgroup,
+            'type': parameter_type,
+            'value': json.dumps(value)
+        }
+
+        requests.post(f"{base_url()}/pillar/{name}", headers=auth_header(), json=data)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py b/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py
index 7b8cca7..defc24b 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/routers/pillar.py
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
+import json
 import uuid
+from uuid import uuid4
 
-from sqlalchemy import select, insert, delete, bindparam
+from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import insert
+from sqlalchemy import select, delete, bindparam
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
 from starlette.exceptions import HTTPException
 from starlette.requests import Request
 from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends
 from starlette.responses import JSONResponse
 
-from pillar_tool.db import Host
+from pillar_tool.db import Host, Pillar
 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
 from pillar_tool.util.pillar_utilities import merge
-from pillar_tool.util.validation import validate_state_name, validate_fqdn
+from pillar_tool.util.validation import validate_state_name, validate_fqdn, validate_pillar_input_data, \
+    split_and_validate_path
 
 router = APIRouter(
     prefix="/pillar",
@@ -59,21 +63,70 @@ def pillar_get(req: Request, fqdn: str):
 
 @router.post("/{name}")
 def pillar_create(req: Request, name: str, params: PillarParams):
-    db = req.state.db
+    db: Session = req.state.db
 
     # ensure that value and type have been set in the request parameters
     if params.type is None or params.value is None:
+        return JSONResponse(status_code=400, content={
+            'message': "Both parameter type and value need to be set!"
+        })
 
+    # validate pillar data
+    pillar_data = validate_pillar_input_data(params.value, params.type)
 
-    target_stmt = select(Host).where(Host.name == name)
-    result = db.execute(target_stmt).fetchall()
+    if params.host is not None:
+        target_stmt = select(Host).where(Host.name == params.host)
+        result = db.execute(target_stmt).fetchall()
 
-    if len(result) == 0:
-        return JSONResponse(status_code=404, content={})
+        print(name, result)
 
-    # this should be enforced by the database
-    assert len(result) == 1
-    target: Host = result[0][0]
+        if len(result) == 0:
+            return JSONResponse(status_code=404, content={})
+
+        # this should be enforced by the database
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        target: Host = result[0][0]
+    elif params.hostgroup is not None:
+        path = split_and_validate_path(params.hostgroup)
+        last = None
+        group_stmt = select(Host).where(Host.is_hostgroup == True and Host.parent_id == bindparam('parent') )
+    else:
+        return JSONResponse(status_code=400, content={'message': "Neither host nor hostgroup set"})
+
+    #  if this is a dictionary value, parse it and create a separate entry for all the sub-pillars
+    if type(pillar_data) == dict:
+        def aux(prefix: str, input_value: dict) -> list[dict[str, str]]:
+            out = []
+            for key, value in input_value.items():
+                if type(value) is dict:
+                    out += aux(f"{prefix}:{key}", value)
+                else:
+                    out += [{
+                        'name': f"{prefix}:{key}",
+                        'type': type(value).__name__,
+                        'value': json.dumps(value)
+                    }]
+
+            return out
+
+        pillars_to_store = aux(name, pillar_data)
+
+    else:
+        # build the pillar package
+        pillars_to_store=  [
+            { 'name': name, 'value': params.value, 'type': params.type }
+        ]
+
+    # store pillar data
+    insert_stmt = insert(Pillar).values(id=bindparam('new_id'), host_id=target.id, pillar_name=bindparam('name'), parameter_type=bindparam('type'), value=bindparam('value'))
+    upsert_stmt = insert_stmt.on_conflict_do_update(constraint='pillar_unique_pillar_name', set_={'parameter_type': bindparam('type'), 'value': bindparam('value')} )
+
+    for instance in pillars_to_store:
+        instance['new_id'] = uuid4()
+        result = db.execute(upsert_stmt, instance)
+        print(result)
+
+    return JSONResponse(status_code=200, content={'message': 'ok'})
 
 
 
diff --git a/pillar_tool/schemas.py b/pillar_tool/schemas.py
index b39047f..fe9e31a 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/schemas.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/schemas.py
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ class StateParams(BaseModel):
 
 # Pillar operations
 class PillarParams(BaseModel):
-    target: str # must be host or hostgroup
+    host: str | None
+    hostgroup: str | None
     value: str | None # value if the pillar should be set
     type: str | None # type of pillar if pillar should be set
 
diff --git a/pillar_tool/util/validation.py b/pillar_tool/util/validation.py
index b7900ef..87a8098 100644
--- a/pillar_tool/util/validation.py
+++ b/pillar_tool/util/validation.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import json
 import re
 
 
@@ -81,3 +82,28 @@ def split_and_validate_path(path: str) -> list[str] | None:
 
     return labels
 
+def type_from_name(data_type: str) -> type | None:
+    match data_type:
+        case 'int': return int
+        case 'float': return float
+        case 'str': return str
+        case 'bool': return bool
+        case 'dict': return dict
+        case 'list': return list
+        case _: raise ValueError(f"Invalid pillar input: Unsupported data type: {data_type}")
+
+def name_from_type(value) -> str:
+    if type(value) is int: return 'int'
+    if type(value) is float: return 'float'
+    if type(value) is str: return 'str'
+    if type(value) is bool: return 'bool'
+    if type(value) is dict: return 'dict'
+    if type(value) is list: return 'list'
+    raise ValueError(f"Invalid pillar input: Unsupported data type: {type(value)}")
+
+def validate_pillar_input_data(value: str, data_type: str):
+    decoded_data = json.loads(value)
+    if type(decoded_data) is type_from_name(data_type):
+        return decoded_data
+    raise ValueError(f"Invalid pillar input: datatype does not match value")
+