diff --git a/include/matador/query/insert_query_builder.hpp b/include/matador/query/insert_query_builder.hpp
index bac26cb..0587217 100644
--- a/include/matador/query/insert_query_builder.hpp
+++ b/include/matador/query/insert_query_builder.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "matador/query/query_contexts.hpp"
 #include "matador/query/query_builder_exception.hpp"
 
+#include "matador/sql/execute_result.hpp"
 #include "matador/sql/statement.hpp"
 
 #include "matador/utils/primary_key_accessor.hpp"
@@ -86,9 +87,9 @@ protected:
 };
 
 template <typename ObjectType>
-class insert_step_sequence : public insert_step2 {
+class insert_step_pk_generated : public insert_step2 {
 public:
-  insert_step_sequence(sql::query_context ctx, const object::object_ptr<ObjectType>& ptr, abstract_pk_generator& pk_generator)
+  insert_step_pk_generated(sql::query_context ctx, const object::object_ptr<ObjectType>& ptr, abstract_pk_generator& pk_generator)
   : insert_step2(std::move(ctx))
   , ptr_(ptr)
   , pk_generator_(pk_generator){}
@@ -120,40 +121,88 @@ private:
 };
 
 template <typename ObjectType>
-class insert_step_identity : public insert_step2 {
+class insert_step_pk_identity : public insert_step2 {
 public:
-  insert_step_identity(sql::query_context ctx, const object::object_ptr<ObjectType>& ptr)
+  insert_step_pk_identity(sql::query_context ctx, const object::object_ptr<ObjectType>& ptr, const std::string &pk_column_name)
   : insert_step2(std::move(ctx))
-  , ptr_(ptr) {}
+  , ptr_(ptr)
+  , pk_column_name_(pk_column_name){}
 
-  utils::result<void, utils::error> prepare(sql::executor& conn) const override {
+  utils::result<void, utils::error> prepare(sql::executor&) const override {
     return utils::ok<void>();
   }
 
   utils::result<void, utils::error> insert(sql::statement& stmt) const override {
     stmt.bind(*ptr_);
 
-    auto record = stmt.fetch_one();
-    if (!record.is_ok()) {
-      return utils::failure(record.err());
+    auto result = stmt.fetch_one();
+    if (!result.is_ok()) {
+      return utils::failure(result.err());
     }
-    if (!record.value().has_value()) {
+    if (!result.value().has_value()) {
       return utils::failure(utils::error(error_code::FailedToFindObject, "Failed to insert object and retrieve identity."));
     }
 
-    const auto pk_name = info.primary_key_attribute()->name();
-    const table_column pk_col(&it->second.table(), pk_name);
-    step.apply_returning = [ptr, &step, pk_name = pk_name](const sql::record &rec) {
-      const auto& f = rec.at(pk_name);
-      utils::identifier id;
-      id.assign(f.value());
-      step.pk_accessor.set(*ptr, id);
-    };
+    auto rec = result->value();
+    const auto& f = rec.at(pk_column_name_);
+    utils::identifier id;
+    if (auto res = id.assign(f.value()); !res.is_ok()) {
+      return utils::failure(res.err());
+    }
+    pk_accessor_.set(*ptr_, id);
 
     ptr_.change_state(object::object_state::Persistent);
     return utils::ok<void>();
   }
 
+private:
+  object::object_ptr<ObjectType> ptr_;
+  std::string pk_column_name_;
+};
+
+template <typename ObjectType>
+class insert_step_pk_manual : public insert_step2 {
+public:
+  insert_step_pk_manual(sql::query_context ctx, const object::object_ptr<ObjectType>& ptr)
+  : insert_step2(std::move(ctx))
+  , ptr_(ptr) {}
+
+  utils::result<void, utils::error> prepare(sql::executor &) const override {
+    return utils::ok<void>();
+  }
+  utils::result<void, utils::error> insert(sql::statement &stmt) const override {
+    stmt.bind(*ptr_);
+    if (const auto exec_result = stmt.execute(); !exec_result.is_ok()) {
+      return utils::failure(exec_result.err());
+    }
+
+    ptr_.change_state(object::object_state::Persistent);
+    return utils::ok<void>();
+  }
+
+private:
+  object::object_ptr<ObjectType> ptr_;
+};
+
+template <typename ObjectType>
+class insert_step_relation : public insert_step2 {
+public:
+  insert_step_relation(sql::query_context ctx, const object::object_ptr<ObjectType>& ptr)
+  : insert_step2(std::move(ctx))
+  , ptr_(ptr) {}
+
+  utils::result<void, utils::error> prepare(sql::executor &) const override {
+    return utils::ok<void>();
+  }
+  utils::result<void, utils::error> insert(sql::statement &stmt) const override {
+    stmt.bind(*ptr_);
+    if (const auto exec_result = stmt.execute(); !exec_result.is_ok()) {
+      return utils::failure(exec_result.err());
+    }
+
+    return utils::ok<void>();
+  }
+
 private:
   object::object_ptr<ObjectType> ptr_;
 };
@@ -380,14 +429,23 @@ private:
     // 2) Build INSERT for this object
     const auto &info = it->second.node().info();
     insert_step step{};
-    if (info.has_primary_key()) {
-      step.pk_generator = it->second.pk_generator().type();
+    if (!info.has_primary_key() || it->second.pk_generator().type() == utils::generator_type::None) {
+      return utils::failure(utils::error{error_code::MissingPrimaryKey, "Type " + info.name() + " has no primary key"});
     }
-
     const auto cit = contexts_by_type_.find(it->second.node().info().type_index());
     if (cit == contexts_by_type_.end()) {
       return utils::failure(utils::error{error_code::UnknownType, "Unknown type"});
     }
+
+    if (it->second.pk_generator().type() == utils::generator_type::Manual) {
+      steps2_.push_back(std::make_unique<insert_step_pk_manual<EntityType>>(cit->second.insert, ptr));
+    } else if (it->second.pk_generator().type() == utils::generator_type::Identity) {
+      steps2_.push_back(std::make_unique<insert_step_pk_identity<EntityType>>(cit->second.insert, ptr, info.primary_key_attribute()->name()));
+    } else {
+      steps2_.push_back(std::make_unique<insert_step_pk_generated<EntityType>>(cit->second.insert, ptr));
+    }
+    step.pk_generator = it->second.pk_generator().type();
+
     step.ctx = cit->second.insert;
     step.bind_object = [ptr](sql::statement &stmt) {
       stmt.bind(*ptr);
@@ -432,6 +490,7 @@ private:
 
   object::object_ptr<ObjectType> ptr_;
 
+  std::vector<std::unique_ptr<insert_step2>> steps2_;
   std::vector<insert_step> steps_;
   std::vector<insert_step> relation_steps_;
   std::unordered_set<std::pair<std::type_index, const void *>, visit_key_hash> visited_;