diff --git a/tools/CMakeLists.txt b/tools/CMakeLists.txt
index 1a0d13c84..dd4d60c37 100644
--- a/tools/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tools/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,3 +44,10 @@ install(
     DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}
     RENAME villas
 )
+
+install(
+    PROGRAMS villas-api.sh
+    COMPONENT bin
+    DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}
+    RENAME villas-api
+)
diff --git a/tools/villas-api.sh b/tools/villas-api.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..fdaccdf87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/villas-api.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Check if all required commands exist
+
+if ! command -v curl &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "curl could not be found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! command -v jq &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "jq could not be found"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
+    echo "usage: villas-api ACTION [REQUEST-JSON]"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+ACTION=$1
+REQUEST=${2:-\{\}}
+ID=$(cat /dev/urandom | tr -dc 'a-zA-Z0-9' | fold -w 16 | head -n 1)
+ENDPOINT=${ENDPOINT:-http://localhost:80/api/v1}
+
+echo "Issuing API request: action=${ACTION}, id=${ID}, request=${REQUEST}, endpoint=${ENDPOINT}"
+
+curl -s -X POST --data "{
+    \"action\" : \"${ACTION}\",
+    \"id\": \"${ID}\",
+    \"request\": ${REQUEST}
+}" ${ENDPOINT} | jq .