diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index 708ca61ea..14ab78969 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -664,10 +664,26 @@ func (api *API) ImportValue(_ context.Context, req *ImportValueRequest) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "validating api method")
 	}
 
+	index := api.holder.Index(req.Index)
+	if index == nil {
+		return newNotFoundError(ErrIndexNotFound)
+	}
+
 	field, err := api.indexField(req.Index, req.Field, req.Shard)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "getting field")
 	}
+
+	// Translate column keys.
+	if index.Keys() {
+		if len(req.ColumnIDs) != 0 {
+			return errors.New("column ids cannot be used because index uses string keys")
+		}
+		if req.ColumnIDs, err = api.holder.translateFile.TranslateColumnsToUint64(index.Name(), req.ColumnKeys); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "translating columns")
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Import into fragment.
 	err = field.importValue(req.ColumnIDs, req.Values)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 0f64ba8fc..9c5016646 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ type InternalClient interface {
 	EnsureIndex(ctx context.Context, name string, options IndexOptions) error
 	EnsureField(ctx context.Context, indexName string, fieldName string) error
 	ImportValue(ctx context.Context, index, field string, shard uint64, vals []FieldValue) error
+	ImportValueK(ctx context.Context, index, field string, vals []FieldValue) error
 	ExportCSV(ctx context.Context, index, field string, shard uint64, w io.Writer) error
 	CreateField(ctx context.Context, index, field string) error
 	FragmentBlocks(ctx context.Context, uri *URI, index, field string, shard uint64) ([]FragmentBlock, error)
@@ -114,6 +115,9 @@ func (n nopInternalClient) EnsureField(ctx context.Context, indexName string, fi
 func (n nopInternalClient) ImportValue(ctx context.Context, index, field string, shard uint64, vals []FieldValue) error {
 	return nil
 }
+func (n nopInternalClient) ImportValueK(ctx context.Context, index, field string, vals []FieldValue) error {
+	return nil
+}
 func (n nopInternalClient) ExportCSV(ctx context.Context, index, field string, shard uint64, w io.Writer) error {
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/ctl/import.go b/ctl/import.go
index e8d6c8f37..2969b581b 100644
--- a/ctl/import.go
+++ b/ctl/import.go
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ func (cmd *ImportCommand) bufferValues(ctx context.Context, useColumnKeys bool,
 
 		// If we've reached the buffer size then import FieldValues.
 		if len(a) == cmd.BufferSize {
-			if err := cmd.importValues(ctx, a); err != nil {
+			if err := cmd.importValues(ctx, useColumnKeys, a); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			a = a[:0]
@@ -348,13 +348,22 @@ func (cmd *ImportCommand) bufferValues(ctx context.Context, useColumnKeys bool,
 	}
 
 	// If there are still values in the buffer then flush them.
-	return cmd.importValues(ctx, a)
+	return cmd.importValues(ctx, useColumnKeys, a)
 }
 
 // importValues sends batches of FieldValues to the server.
-func (cmd *ImportCommand) importValues(ctx context.Context, vals []pilosa.FieldValue) error {
+func (cmd *ImportCommand) importValues(ctx context.Context, useColumnKeys bool, vals []pilosa.FieldValue) error {
 	logger := log.New(cmd.Stderr, "", log.LstdFlags)
 
+	// If keys are used, all values are sent to the primary translate store (i.e. coordinator).
+	if useColumnKeys {
+		logger.Printf("importing keyed values: n=%d", len(vals))
+		if err := cmd.client.ImportValueK(ctx, cmd.Index, cmd.Field, vals); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "importing keys")
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	// Group vals by shard.
 	logger.Printf("grouping %d vals", len(vals))
 	valsByShard := http.FieldValues(vals).GroupByShard()
diff --git a/http/client.go b/http/client.go
index e5c270cbb..0bfdbdddd 100644
--- a/http/client.go
+++ b/http/client.go
@@ -473,6 +473,38 @@ func (c *InternalClient) ImportValue(ctx context.Context, index, field string, s
 	return nil
 }
 
+// ImportValueK bulk imports keyed field values to a host.
+func (c *InternalClient) ImportValueK(ctx context.Context, index, field string, vals []pilosa.FieldValue) error {
+	if index == "" {
+		return pilosa.ErrIndexRequired
+	} else if field == "" {
+		return pilosa.ErrFieldRequired
+	}
+
+	buf, err := c.marshalImportValuePayload(index, field, 0, vals)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Error Creating Payload: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	// Get the coordinator node; all bits are sent to the
+	// primary translate store (i.e. coordinator).
+	nodes, err := c.Nodes(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("getting nodes: %s", err)
+	}
+	coord := getCoordinatorNode(nodes)
+	if coord == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not find the coordinator node")
+	}
+
+	// Import to node.
+	if err := c.importNode(ctx, coord, index, field, buf); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("import node: host=%s, err=%s", coord.URI, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // marshalImportValuePayload marshalls the import parameters into a protobuf byte slice.
 func (c *InternalClient) marshalImportValuePayload(index, field string, shard uint64, vals []pilosa.FieldValue) ([]byte, error) {
 	// Separate row and column IDs to reduce allocations.