diff --git a/cmd/drupal_setting.go b/cmd/drupal_setting.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53fc0d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/drupal_setting.go
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+
+	wisski_distillery "github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery"
+	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/core"
+	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/exit"
+)
+
+// DrupalSetting is then 'drupal_setting' command
+var DrupalSetting wisski_distillery.Command = setting{}
+
+type setting struct {
+	Positionals struct {
+		Slug    string `positional-arg-name:"SLUG" required:"1-1" description:"slug of instance to get or set value for"`
+		Setting string `positional-arg-name:"SETTING" require:"1-1" description:"name of setting to read or write"`
+		Value   string `positional-arg-name:"VALUE" description:"json serialization of value to write"`
+	} `positional-args:"true"`
+}
+
+func (setting) Description() wisski_distillery.Description {
+	return wisski_distillery.Description{
+		Requirements: core.Requirements{
+			NeedsDistillery: true,
+		},
+		Command:     "drupal_setting",
+		Description: "Get or set a drupal setting",
+	}
+}
+
+var errSettingGet = exit.Error{
+	ExitCode: exit.ExitGeneric,
+	Message:  "Unable to get setting",
+}
+
+var errSettingSet = exit.Error{
+	ExitCode: exit.ExitGeneric,
+	Message:  "Unable to set setting",
+}
+
+func (ds setting) Run(context wisski_distillery.Context) error {
+	instance, err := context.Environment.Instances().WissKI(ds.Positionals.Slug)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if ds.Positionals.Value == "" {
+		// get the setting
+		value, err := instance.GetSettingsPHP(ds.Positionals.Setting)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errSettingGet.Wrap(err)
+		}
+
+		// and print it
+		if err := json.NewEncoder(context.Stdout).Encode(value); err != nil {
+			return errSettingGet.Wrap(err)
+		}
+
+		// finish with a newline
+		context.Println("")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// serialize the setting into json
+	var data any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(ds.Positionals.Value), &data); err != nil {
+		return errSettingSet.Wrap(err)
+	}
+
+	// set the serialized value!
+	if err := instance.SetSettingsPHP(ds.Positionals.Setting, data); err != nil {
+		return errSettingSet.Wrap(err)
+	}
+
+	// and we're done
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/system_update.go b/cmd/system_update.go
index a9801b4..722d234 100644
--- a/cmd/system_update.go
+++ b/cmd/system_update.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+
 	wisski_distillery "github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/component"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/core"
@@ -8,7 +11,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/fsx"
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/logging"
 	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/exit"
+	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/lib/status"
 	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/parser"
+	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/stream"
 )
 
 // SystemUpdate is the 'system_update' command
@@ -106,24 +111,35 @@ func (si systemupdate) Run(context wisski_distillery.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	if err := logging.LogOperation(func() error {
-		for _, component := range dis.Installables() {
-			name := component.Name()
-			stack := component.Stack(dis.Core.Environment)
-			ctx := component.Context(ctx)
+		group := &status.Group[component.Installable]{
+			Writer: context.Stdout,
+			PrefixString: func(item component.Installable, index int) string {
+				return fmt.Sprintf("[install %q]: ", item.Name())
+			},
+			PrefixAlign: true,
+			ErrString: func(item component.Installable, index int, err error) string {
+				if err == nil {
+					return "ok"
+				}
+				return "failed (" + err.Error() + ")"
+			},
+			Handler: func(item component.Installable, index int, writer io.Writer) error {
+				io := stream.NewIOStream(writer, writer, stream.Null, 0)
+				stack := item.Stack(context.Environment.Environment)
 
-			if err := logging.LogOperation(func() error {
-				return stack.Install(context.IOStream, ctx)
-			}, context.IOStream, "Installing Docker Stack %q", name); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+				if err := stack.Install(io, item.Context(ctx)); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 
-			if err := logging.LogOperation(func() error {
-				return stack.Update(context.IOStream, true)
-			}, context.IOStream, "Updating Docker Stack: %q", name); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+				if err := stack.Update(io, true); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+
+				return nil
+			},
 		}
-		return nil
+
+		return group.Run(dis.Installables())
 	}, context.IOStream, "Performing Stack Updates"); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/wdcli/main.go b/cmd/wdcli/main.go
index a612f3d..626e38b 100644
--- a/cmd/wdcli/main.go
+++ b/cmd/wdcli/main.go
@@ -42,8 +42,10 @@ func init() {
 	wdcli.Register(cmd.Shell)
 	wdcli.Register(cmd.BlindUpdate)
 	wdcli.Register(cmd.UpdatePrefixConfig) // TODO: Move into post-instance configuration
+
 	wdcli.Register(cmd.Pathbuilders)
 	wdcli.Register(cmd.Prefixes)
+	wdcli.Register(cmd.DrupalSetting)
 
 	// backup & cron
 	wdcli.Register(cmd.Snapshot)
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c54af81..25da022 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/feiin/sqlstring v0.3.0
 	github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql v1.6.0
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1
-	github.com/tkw1536/goprogram v0.0.12
+	github.com/tkw1536/goprogram v0.0.13
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20220909182711-5c715a9e8561
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220907140024-f12130a52804
 	gorm.io/driver/mysql v1.3.6
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index f6b00f3..deef222 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -19,16 +19,26 @@ github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1 h1:FEBLx1zS214owpjy7qsBeixbURkuhQAwrK5UwLGTwt4=
 github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1/go.mod h1:bwawxfHBFNV+L2hUp1rHADufV3IMtnDRdf1r5NINEl0=
 github.com/tkw1536/goprogram v0.0.12 h1:CJI79IieP750q9j27OmoB1J/PC4povjk8kdckPVJ1YQ=
 github.com/tkw1536/goprogram v0.0.12/go.mod h1:rX9MKOpJ9qAu4jHV2+n64SKmm3c2D3Hh1V8zC1H3jB4=
+github.com/tkw1536/goprogram v0.0.13 h1:tq36MGZ24T+Xjv8y+bWbMGv2zx5prJ7tmi/bvs3wemA=
+github.com/tkw1536/goprogram v0.0.13/go.mod h1:rX9MKOpJ9qAu4jHV2+n64SKmm3c2D3Hh1V8zC1H3jB4=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20220909182711-5c715a9e8561 h1:MDc5xs78ZrZr3HMQugiXOAkSZtfTpbJLDr/lwfgO53E=
 golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20220909182711-5c715a9e8561/go.mod h1:cyybsKvd6eL0RnXn6p/Grxp8F5bW7iYuBgsNCOHpMYE=
+golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20220921164117-439092de6870 h1:j8b6j9gzSigH28O5SjSpQSSh9lFd6f5D/q0aHjNTulc=
+golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20220921164117-439092de6870/go.mod h1:cyybsKvd6eL0RnXn6p/Grxp8F5bW7iYuBgsNCOHpMYE=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220907140024-f12130a52804 h1:0SH2R3f1b1VmIMG7BXbEZCBUu2dKmHschSmjqGUrW8A=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20220907140024-f12130a52804/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210320140829-1e4c9ba3b0c4/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220909162455-aba9fc2a8ff2 h1:wM1k/lXfpc5HdkJJyW9GELpd8ERGdnh8sMGL6Gzq3Ho=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220909162455-aba9fc2a8ff2/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220919091848-fb04ddd9f9c8 h1:h+EGohizhe9XlX18rfpa8k8RAc5XyaeamM+0VHRd4lc=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220919091848-fb04ddd9f9c8/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20220722155259-a9ba230a4035 h1:Q5284mrmYTpACcm+eAKjKJH48BBwSyfJqmmGDTtT8Vc=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20220722155259-a9ba230a4035/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
+golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20220919170432-7a66f970e087 h1:tPwmk4vmvVCMdr98VgL4JH+qZxPL8fqlUOHnyOM8N3w=
+golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20220919170432-7a66f970e087/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
 gorm.io/driver/mysql v1.3.6 h1:BhX1Y/RyALb+T9bZ3t07wLnPZBukt+IRkMn8UZSNbGM=
 gorm.io/driver/mysql v1.3.6/go.mod h1:sSIebwZAVPiT+27jK9HIwvsqOGKx3YMPmrA3mBJR10c=
 gorm.io/gorm v1.23.8 h1:h8sGJ+biDgBA1AD1Ha9gFCx7h8npU7AsLdlkX0n2TpE=
 gorm.io/gorm v1.23.8/go.mod h1:l2lP/RyAtc1ynaTjFksBde/O8v9oOGIApu2/xRitmZk=
+gorm.io/gorm v1.23.9 h1:NSHG021i+MCznokeXR3udGaNyFyBQJW8MbjrJMVCfGw=
+gorm.io/gorm v1.23.9/go.mod h1:DVrVomtaYTbqs7gB/x2uVvqnXzv0nqjB396B8cG4dBA=
diff --git a/internal/component/control/control.go b/internal/component/control/control.go
index a1811fe..8a03695 100644
--- a/internal/component/control/control.go
+++ b/internal/component/control/control.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func (control Control) Path() string {
 var resources embed.FS
 
 func (control *Control) Stack(env environment.Environment) component.StackWithResources {
-	return component.MakeStack(control, env, component.StackWithResources{
+	stt := component.MakeStack(control, env, component.StackWithResources{
 		Resources:   resources,
 		ContextPath: "control",
 		EnvPath:     "control.env",
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func (control *Control) Stack(env environment.Environment) component.StackWithRe
 		TouchFiles:       []string{control.ResolverFile},
 		CopyContextFiles: []string{core.Executable},
 	})
+	return stt
 }
 
 func (control Control) Context(parent component.InstallationContext) component.InstallationContext {
diff --git a/internal/component/instances/php/settings.php b/internal/component/instances/php/settings.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ed992c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/component/instances/php/settings.php
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<?php
+
+/** gets a setting from 'settings.php' */
+function get_setting($name) {
+    use \Drupal\Core\Site\Settings;
+    return Settings::get($name);
+}
+
+/** sets a setting in 'settings.php' */
+function set_setting($name, $value) {
+    // load install.inc
+    if(is_file(DRUPAL_ROOT . "/internal/")) {
+        include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . "/internal/core/includes/install.inc";
+    } else {
+        include_once DRUPAL_ROOT . "/core/includes/install.inc";
+    }
+    
+    // update the provided setting
+    $settings["settings"][$name] = (object)[
+        "value" => $value,
+        "required" => TRUE,
+    ];
+
+    // find the filename
+    $filename = DRUPAL_ROOT . "/" . \Drupal::service("site.path") . "/settings.php";
+    drupal_rewrite_settings($settings, $filename);
+
+    return True;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/component/instances/wisski_pathbuilders.go b/internal/component/instances/wisski_pathbuilders.go
index 4cbbcd1..67502e9 100644
--- a/internal/component/instances/wisski_pathbuilders.go
+++ b/internal/component/instances/wisski_pathbuilders.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ var exportPathbuilderPHP string
 
 // Pathbuilders returns the ids of all pathbuilders in consistent order.
 func (wisski *WissKI) Pathbuilders() (ids []string, err error) {
-	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromNil(), &ids, exportPathbuilderPHP, "all_list")
+	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromDebug(), &ids, exportPathbuilderPHP, "all_list")
 	slices.Sort(ids)
 	return
 }
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ func (wisski *WissKI) Pathbuilders() (ids []string, err error) {
 // Pathbuilder returns a single pathbuilder as xml.
 // If it does not exist, it returns the empty string and nil error.
 func (wisski *WissKI) Pathbuilder(id string) (xml string, err error) {
-	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromNil(), &xml, exportPathbuilderPHP, "one_xml", id)
+	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromDebug(), &xml, exportPathbuilderPHP, "one_xml", id)
 	return
 }
 
 // AllPathbuilders returns all pathbuilders serialized as xml
 func (wisski *WissKI) AllPathbuilders() (pathbuilders map[string]string, err error) {
-	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromNil(), &pathbuilders, exportPathbuilderPHP, "all_xml")
+	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromDebug(), &pathbuilders, exportPathbuilderPHP, "all_xml")
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/component/instances/wisski_php.go b/internal/component/instances/wisski_php.go
index 4ebf071..365187f 100644
--- a/internal/component/instances/wisski_php.go
+++ b/internal/component/instances/wisski_php.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/stream"
+
+	_ "embed"
 )
 
 var ErrExecInvalidCode = errors.New("invalid code to execute")
@@ -123,3 +125,17 @@ func marshalPHP(data any) (string, error) {
 	result := "call_user_func(function(){$x=<<<'" + delim + "'\n" + jstring + "\n" + delim + ";return json_decode(trim($x));})" // press to doubt
 	return result, nil
 }
+
+//
+
+//go:embed php/settings.php
+var settingsPHP string
+
+func (wisski *WissKI) GetSettingsPHP(key string) (value any, err error) {
+	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromDebug(), &value, settingsPHP, "get_setting", key)
+	return
+}
+
+func (wisski *WissKI) SetSettingsPHP(key string, value any) error {
+	return wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromDebug(), nil, settingsPHP, "set_setting", key, value)
+}
diff --git a/internal/component/instances/wisski_prefix.go b/internal/component/instances/wisski_prefix.go
index b1195df..af68220 100644
--- a/internal/component/instances/wisski_prefix.go
+++ b/internal/component/instances/wisski_prefix.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var listURIPrefixesPHP string
 // Prefixes returns the prefixes
 func (wisski *WissKI) Prefixes() (prefixes []string, err error) {
 	// get all the ugly prefixes
-	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromNil(), &prefixes, listURIPrefixesPHP, "list_prefixes")
+	err = wisski.ExecPHPScript(stream.FromDebug(), &prefixes, listURIPrefixesPHP, "list_prefixes")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/component/sql/connect.go b/internal/component/sql/connect.go
index 9c83136..196064d 100644
--- a/internal/component/sql/connect.go
+++ b/internal/component/sql/connect.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"sync/atomic"
 
 	mysqldriver "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"
+	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/stream"
 
 	"gorm.io/driver/mysql"
 	"gorm.io/gorm"
@@ -43,7 +44,6 @@ func (sql *SQL) Exec(query string, args ...interface{}) error {
 func (sql *SQL) WaitExec() error {
 	return wait.Wait(func() bool {
 		err := sql.Exec("select 1;")
-		// log.Printf("[WaitQuery] %s\n", err) // debug
 		return err == nil
 	}, sql.PollInterval, sql.PollContext)
 }
@@ -90,8 +90,10 @@ func (sql *SQL) QueryTable(silent bool, table string) (*gorm.DB, error) {
 
 // WaitQueryTable waits for a connection to succeed via QueryTable
 func (sql *SQL) WaitQueryTable() error {
+	n := stream.FromDebug()
 	return wait.Wait(func() bool {
 		_, err := sql.QueryTable(true, models.InstanceTable)
+		n.EPrintf("[SQL.WaitQueryTable]: %s\n", err)
 		return err == nil
 	}, sql.PollInterval, sql.PollContext)
 }
diff --git a/internal/component/sql/update.go b/internal/component/sql/update.go
index 0cdbc7c..5ab267e 100644
--- a/internal/component/sql/update.go
+++ b/internal/component/sql/update.go
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ func (sql *SQL) Shell(io stream.IOStream, argv ...string) (int, error) {
 
 // unsafeWaitShell waits for a connection via the database shell to succeed
 func (sql *SQL) unsafeWaitShell() error {
-	n := stream.FromNil()
+	n := stream.FromDebug()
 	return wait.Wait(func() bool {
 		code, err := sql.Shell(n, "-e", "select 1;")
-		// log.Printf("[unsafeWaitShell] %d %s\n", code, err) // debug
+		n.EPrintf("[SQL.unsafeWaitShell]: %d %s\n", code, err)
 		return err == nil && code == 0
 	}, sql.PollInterval, sql.PollContext)
 }
diff --git a/internal/component/stack.go b/internal/component/stack.go
index 8e0c1d5..931977b 100644
--- a/internal/component/stack.go
+++ b/internal/component/stack.go
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func (ds Stack) Exec(io stream.IOStream, service, executable string, args ...str
 	return ds.compose(io, compose...)
 }
 
-// Run executes the provided service with the given executable.
+// Run runs a command in a running container with the given executable.
 // It is equivalent to 'docker compose run [--rm] $service $executable $args...'.
 //
 // It returns the exit code of the process.
diff --git a/internal/component/triplestore/database.go b/internal/component/triplestore/database.go
index 6fae113..1bc52d0 100644
--- a/internal/component/triplestore/database.go
+++ b/internal/component/triplestore/database.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/pkg/wait"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/tkw1536/goprogram/stream"
 )
 
 type TriplestoreUserPayload struct {
@@ -85,8 +86,10 @@ func (ts Triplestore) OpenRaw(method, url string, body interface{}, bodyName str
 // Wait waits for the connection to the Triplestore to succeed.
 // This is achieved using a polling strategy.
 func (ts Triplestore) Wait() error {
+	n := stream.FromDebug()
 	return wait.Wait(func() bool {
 		res, err := ts.OpenRaw("GET", "/rest/repositories", nil, "", "")
+		n.EPrintf("[Triplestore.Wait]: %s\n", err)
 		if err != nil {
 			return false
 		}
diff --git a/internal/component/web/web.go b/internal/component/web/web.go
index 54b1680..7b90a9e 100644
--- a/internal/component/web/web.go
+++ b/internal/component/web/web.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package web
 
 import (
 	"embed"
-	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/FAU-CDI/wisski-distillery/internal/component"
@@ -22,7 +21,6 @@ func (Web) Name() string {
 
 func (web Web) Path() string {
 	res := filepath.Join(web.Core.Config.DeployRoot, "core", web.Name())
-	fmt.Println("debug====" + res)
 	return res
 }