diff --git a/docker/init_scripts/init b/docker/init_scripts/init
index cf76c926f..097e159d0 100755
--- a/docker/init_scripts/init
+++ b/docker/init_scripts/init
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ start_bin_watcher() {
 start_bin_sync_watcher() {
 	info_log "Starting sync folder watcher"
 	local sync_base_path="${SYNC_BASE_PATH:-/var/lib/romm/sync}"
+	mkdir -p "${sync_base_path}"
 	if [[ ${OTEL_SDK_DISABLED:-false} == "true" ]]; then
 		watchfiles \
 			--target-type command \
diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
index 8c66cd548..1a32e689f 100644
--- a/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ watchfiles \
 if [[ ${ENABLE_SYNC_FOLDER_WATCHER:-false} == "true" ]]; then
 	echo "Starting sync folder watcher..."
 	SYNC_BASE_PATH="${SYNC_BASE_PATH:-/var/lib/romm/sync}"
+	mkdir -p "${SYNC_BASE_PATH}"
 	watchfiles \
 		--target-type command \
 		'uv run python sync_watcher.py' \