diff --git a/src/basic_memory/cli/commands/sync.py b/src/basic_memory/cli/commands/sync.py
index a888c2a8..a3dcfdcc 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/cli/commands/sync.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/cli/commands/sync.py
@@ -1,22 +1,43 @@
 """Command module for basic-memory sync operations."""
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, List, Tuple
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 import typer
 import asyncio
 from loguru import logger
+from rich.console import Console
 
 from basic_memory.cli.app import app
 from basic_memory import db
 from basic_memory.config import config
 from basic_memory.db import DatabaseType
-from basic_memory.repository import DocumentRepository, EntityRepository
+from basic_memory.repository import DocumentRepository, EntityRepository, ObservationRepository, RelationRepository
 from basic_memory.services import (
     DocumentService,
-    EntityService,
+    EntityService, ObservationService, RelationService,
 )
 from basic_memory.markdown import KnowledgeParser
 from basic_memory.services.sync import SyncService, FileChangeScanner, KnowledgeSyncService
+from basic_memory.utils.file_utils import ParseError
+
+console = Console()
+
+@dataclass
+class ValidationIssue:
+    file_path: str
+    error: str
+
+def display_validation_errors(issues: List[ValidationIssue]):
+    """Display validation errors in a clear, git-like format."""
+    console.print("\n[red]Error: Invalid frontmatter in knowledge files[/red]\n")
+
+    for issue in issues:
+        console.print(f"{issue.file_path}")
+        console.print(f"  {issue.error}\n")
+
+    console.print("To fix, add required frontmatter fields to each file")
+    console.print("Once fixed, run 'basic-memory sync' again")
 
 
 async def get_sync_service(db_type=DatabaseType.FILESYSTEM):
@@ -28,14 +49,19 @@ async def get_sync_service(db_type=DatabaseType.FILESYSTEM):
         # Initialize repositories
         document_repository = DocumentRepository(session_maker)
         entity_repository = EntityRepository(session_maker)
+        observation_repository = ObservationRepository(session_maker)
+        relation_repository = RelationRepository(session_maker)
 
         # Initialize scanner
         file_change_scanner = FileChangeScanner(document_repository, entity_repository)
         
         # Initialize services
-        document_service = DocumentService(document_repository)
+        document_service = DocumentService(document_repository, config.documents_dir)
         entity_service = EntityService(entity_repository)
-        knowledge_sync_service = KnowledgeSyncService(entity_service)
+        observation_service = ObservationService(observation_repository)
+        relation_service = RelationService(relation_repository)
+        
+        knowledge_sync_service = KnowledgeSyncService(entity_service, observation_service, relation_service)
         knowledge_parser = KnowledgeParser()
 
         # Create sync service
@@ -49,14 +75,46 @@ async def get_sync_service(db_type=DatabaseType.FILESYSTEM):
         return sync_service
 
 
-async def run_sync(root_dir: Path):
+async def validate_knowledge_files(sync_service: SyncService, directory: Path) -> List[ValidationIssue]:
+    """Pre-validate knowledge files and collect all issues."""
+    issues = []
+    changes = await sync_service.scanner.find_knowledge_changes(directory)
+
+    for file_path in [*changes.new, *changes.modified]:
+        try:
+            await sync_service.knowledge_parser.parse_file(directory / file_path)
+        except ParseError as e:
+            issues.append(ValidationIssue(file_path=file_path, error=str(e)))
+
+    return issues
+
+
+async def run_sync():
     """Run sync operation."""
     sync_service = await get_sync_service()
-    await sync_service.sync(root_dir)
+
+    # Sync documents first
+    await sync_service.sync_documents(config.documents_dir)
+
+    # Validate knowledge files before attempting sync
+    issues = await validate_knowledge_files(sync_service, config.knowledge_dir)
+    if issues:
+        display_validation_errors(issues)
+        raise typer.Exit(1)
+        
+    # If validation passes, sync knowledge files
+    await sync_service.sync_knowledge(config.knowledge_dir)
 
 
 @app.command()
 def sync(
+    path: Optional[Path] = typer.Argument(
+        None,
+        help="Path to sync. Defaults to current project directory.",
+        exists=True,
+        dir_okay=True,
+        file_okay=False,
+    ),
     verbose: bool = typer.Option(
         False,
         "--verbose",
@@ -66,23 +124,23 @@ def sync(
 ) -> None:
     """Sync knowledge files with the database.
     
-    This command syncs both documents and knowledge files with the database,
-    using a two-pass strategy for knowledge files to handle relations correctly.
-    
-    Use 'basic-memory status' to preview changes before syncing.
+    This command syncs both documents and knowledge files with the database.
+    Knowledge files must have required frontmatter fields: type, id, created, modified.
     """
     try:
         # Get project directory
-        project_dir = config.home
+        project_dir = path or Path.cwd()
         logger.info(f"Syncing directory: {project_dir}")
 
         # Run sync
-        asyncio.run(run_sync(project_dir))
+        asyncio.run(run_sync())
 
         if verbose:
             logger.info("Sync completed successfully")
     
     except Exception as e:
-        logger.exception(f"Sync failed: {e}")
-        typer.echo(f"Error during sync: {e}", err=True)
-        raise typer.Exit(1)
+        if not isinstance(e, typer.Exit):
+            logger.exception("Sync failed")
+            typer.echo(f"Error during sync: {e}", err=True)
+            raise typer.Exit(1)
+        raise