diff --git a/pillar.example b/pillar.example
index d83b61c..bb09c3a 100644
--- a/pillar.example
+++ b/pillar.example
@@ -94,6 +94,21 @@ postfix:
     hosts: DB_HOST
     dbname: postfix_db
 
+  aliases:
+    # manage single aliases
+    # this uses the aliases file defined in the minion config, /etc/aliases by default
+    use_file: false
+    present:
+      root: info@example.com
+    absent:
+      - root
+
+    # manage entire aliases file
+    use_file: true
+    content: |
+      # Forward all local *nix users mail to our admins (via greedy regexp)
+      /.+/    admins@example.com
+
   certificates:
     server-cert:
       public_cert: |
diff --git a/postfix/aliases b/postfix/aliases
index d02055c..04fa424 100644
--- a/postfix/aliases
+++ b/postfix/aliases
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 # Managed by config management
 # See man 5 aliases for format
-{{pillar['postfix']['aliases']}}
+{{pillar['postfix']['aliases']['content']}}
diff --git a/postfix/init.sls b/postfix/init.sls
index fc6d6c2..8d364ee 100644
--- a/postfix/init.sls
+++ b/postfix/init.sls
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ postfix:
 
 # manage /etc/aliases if data found in pillar
 {% if 'aliases' in pillar.get('postfix', '') %}
+{% if salt['pillar.get']('postfix:aliases:use_file', true) == true %}
   {%- set need_newaliases = False %}
   {%- set file_path = postfix.aliases_file %}
   {%- if ':' in file_path %}
@@ -44,6 +45,19 @@ postfix_alias_database:
     - watch:
       - file: {{ file_path }}
   {%- endif %}
+{% else %}
+  {%- for user, target in salt['pillar.get']('postfix:aliases:present', {}).items() %}
+postfix_alias_present_{{ user }}:
+  alias.present:
+    - name: {{ user }}
+    - target: {{ target }}
+  {%- endfor %}
+  {%- for user in salt['pillar.get']('postfix:aliases:absent', {}) %}
+postfix_alias_absent_{{ user }}:
+  alias.absent:
+    - name: {{ user }}
+  {%- endfor %}
+{% endif %}
 {% endif %}
 
 # manage various mappings