diff --git a/backend/pkg/api/data_access/data_access.go b/backend/pkg/api/data_access/data_access.go
index bb0ee849d..b0a66512f 100644
--- a/backend/pkg/api/data_access/data_access.go
+++ b/backend/pkg/api/data_access/data_access.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 
 type DataAccessInterface interface {
 	GetUserDashboards(userId uint64) (t.UserDashboardsData, error)
+	GetValidatorsFromStrings(validators []string) ([]t.VDBValidator, error)
 
 	CreateValidatorDashboard(userId uint64, name string, network uint64) (t.VDBPostReturnData, error)
 	RemoveValidatorDashboard(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary) error
@@ -34,8 +35,8 @@ type DataAccessInterface interface {
 	CreateValidatorDashboardGroup(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, name string) (t.VDBOverviewGroup, error)
 	RemoveValidatorDashboardGroup(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64) error
 
-	AddValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64, validators []string) ([]t.VDBPostValidatorsData, error)
-	RemoveValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, validators []string) error
+	AddValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64, validators []t.VDBValidator) ([]t.VDBPostValidatorsData, error)
+	RemoveValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, validators []t.VDBValidator) error
 	GetValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64, cursor string, sort []t.Sort[enums.VDBManageValidatorsColumn], search string, limit uint64) ([]t.VDBManageValidatorsTableRow, t.Paging, error)
 	GetValidatorDashboardValidatorsByPublicId(dashboardId t.VDBIdPublic, groupId uint64, cursor string, sort []t.Sort[enums.VDBManageValidatorsColumn], search string, limit uint64) ([]t.VDBManageValidatorsTableRow, t.Paging, error)
 	GetValidatorDashboardValidatorsByValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdValidatorSet, cursor string, sort []t.Sort[enums.VDBManageValidatorsColumn], search string, limit uint64) ([]t.VDBManageValidatorsTableRow, t.Paging, error)
@@ -205,6 +206,12 @@ func (d DataAccessService) GetUserDashboards(userId uint64) (t.UserDashboardsDat
 	return d.dummy.GetUserDashboards(userId)
 }
 
+// param validators: slice of validator public keys or indices, a index should resolve to the newest index version
+func (d DataAccessService) GetValidatorsFromStrings(validators []string) ([]t.VDBValidator, error) {
+	// TODO @recy21
+	return d.dummy.GetValidatorsFromStrings(validators)
+}
+
 func (d DataAccessService) CreateValidatorDashboard(userId uint64, name string, network uint64) (t.VDBPostReturnData, error) {
 	return d.dummy.CreateValidatorDashboard(userId, name, network)
 }
@@ -254,7 +261,7 @@ func (d DataAccessService) RemoveValidatorDashboardGroup(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrim
 	return d.dummy.RemoveValidatorDashboardGroup(dashboardId, groupId)
 }
 
-func (d DataAccessService) AddValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64, validators []string) ([]t.VDBPostValidatorsData, error) {
+func (d DataAccessService) AddValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64, validators []t.VDBValidator) ([]t.VDBPostValidatorsData, error) {
 	// TODO @recy21
 	return d.dummy.AddValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId, groupId, validators)
 }
@@ -274,7 +281,7 @@ func (d DataAccessService) GetValidatorDashboardValidatorsByValidators(dashboard
 	return d.dummy.GetValidatorDashboardValidatorsByValidators(dashboardId, cursor, sort, search, limit)
 }
 
-func (d DataAccessService) RemoveValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, validators []string) error {
+func (d DataAccessService) RemoveValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, validators []t.VDBValidator) error {
 	// TODO @recy21
 	return d.dummy.RemoveValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId, validators)
 }
diff --git a/backend/pkg/api/data_access/dummy.go b/backend/pkg/api/data_access/dummy.go
index 2d8eb1369..48c769f56 100644
--- a/backend/pkg/api/data_access/dummy.go
+++ b/backend/pkg/api/data_access/dummy.go
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ func (d DummyService) GetUserDashboards(userId uint64) (t.UserDashboardsData, er
 	return r, err
 }
 
+func (d DummyService) GetValidatorsFromStrings(validators []string) ([]t.VDBValidator, error) {
+	r := []t.VDBValidator{}
+	err := commonFakeData(&r)
+	return r, err
+}
+
 func (d DummyService) CreateValidatorDashboard(userId uint64, name string, network uint64) (t.VDBPostReturnData, error) {
 	r := t.VDBPostReturnData{}
 	err := commonFakeData(&r)
@@ -87,7 +93,7 @@ func (d DummyService) RemoveValidatorDashboardGroup(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary,
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (d DummyService) AddValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64, validators []string) ([]t.VDBPostValidatorsData, error) {
+func (d DummyService) AddValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, groupId uint64, validators []t.VDBValidator) ([]t.VDBPostValidatorsData, error) {
 	r := []t.VDBPostValidatorsData{}
 	err := commonFakeData(&r)
 	return r, err
@@ -117,7 +123,7 @@ func (d DummyService) GetValidatorDashboardValidatorsByValidators(dashboardId t.
 	return r, p, err
 }
 
-func (d DummyService) RemoveValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, validators []string) error {
+func (d DummyService) RemoveValidatorDashboardValidators(dashboardId t.VDBIdPrimary, validators []t.VDBValidator) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/pkg/api/handlers/internal.go b/backend/pkg/api/handlers/internal.go
index 73b4175e4..55355e9d0 100644
--- a/backend/pkg/api/handlers/internal.go
+++ b/backend/pkg/api/handlers/internal.go
@@ -320,11 +320,16 @@ func (h HandlerService) InternalPostValidatorDashboardValidators(w http.Response
 	vars := mux.Vars(r)
 	dashboardId := checkDashboardId(&err, vars["dashboard_id"], false)
 	groupId := checkGroupId(&err, req.GroupId)
-	validators := checkValidatorArray(&err, req.Validators)
+	validatorArr := checkValidatorArray(&err, req.Validators)
 	if err != nil {
 		returnBadRequest(w, err)
 		return
 	}
+	validators, err := h.dai.GetValidatorsFromStrings(validatorArr)
+	if err != nil {
+		returnInternalServerError(w, err)
+		return
+	}
 
 	var dashboardInfo types.DashboardInfo
 	switch dashboardId := dashboardId.(type) {
@@ -398,11 +403,16 @@ func (h HandlerService) InternalDeleteValidatorDashboardValidators(w http.Respon
 	vars := mux.Vars(r)
 	q := r.URL.Query()
 	dashboardId := checkDashboardId(&err, vars["dashboard_id"], false)
-	validators := checkValidatorList(&err, q.Get("validators"))
+	validatorArr := checkValidatorList(&err, q.Get("validators"))
 	if err != nil {
 		returnBadRequest(w, err)
 		return
 	}
+	validators, err := h.dai.GetValidatorsFromStrings(validatorArr)
+	if err != nil {
+		returnInternalServerError(w, err)
+		return
+	}
 
 	var dashboardInfo types.DashboardInfo
 	switch dashboardId := dashboardId.(type) {