Creating a data bag item via shef in recipe context results in 404 not found, though item is created

Created a databag vi knife "knife data bag create ejabberd".
Trying to add an item via shef in recipe context. The item is created but the command returns a 404:

chef:recipe > deployment_000001234 = { chef:recipe > "id" => "deployment_000001234", chef:recipe > "master" => "10.10.10.10", chef:recipe > "members" => ["10.10.10.10"] chef:recipe ?> }
=> {"id"=>"deployment_000001234", "master"=>"10.10.10.10", "members"=>["10.10.10.10"]}
chef:recipe > databag_item = Chef::DataBagItem.new
=> data_bag_item[nil, nil, {}]
chef:recipe > databag_item.data_bag("ejabberd")
=> "ejabberd"
chef:recipe > databag_item.raw_data = deployment_000001234
=> {"id"=>"deployment_000001234", "master"=>"10.10.10.10", "members"=>["10.10.10.10"]}
chef:recipe > databag_item.save
[Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:04:34 -0700] INFO: HTTP Request Returned 404 Not Found: Cannot load Databag Item deployment_000001234
=> data_bag_item["ejabberd", "deployment_000001234", {"id"=>"deployment_000001234", "master"=>"10.10.10.10", "members"=>["10.10.10.10"]}]