diff --git a/backend/app/arr/manager.py b/backend/app/arr/manager.py
index 47be72d..05cd791 100644
--- a/backend/app/arr/manager.py
+++ b/backend/app/arr/manager.py
@@ -529,3 +529,35 @@ def run_import_for_config(config_row):
         'total_successful': total_successful,
         'sync_percentage': sync_percentage
     }
+
+
+def check_active_sync_configs():
+    """
+    Check if there are any ARR configurations with non-manual sync methods.
+    Returns (has_active_configs, details) tuple.
+    """
+    with get_db() as conn:
+        cursor = conn.execute('''
+            SELECT id, name, sync_method, data_to_sync 
+            FROM arr_config 
+            WHERE sync_method != 'manual'
+        ''')
+        active_configs = cursor.fetchall()
+
+        if not active_configs:
+            return False, None
+
+        details = []
+        for config in active_configs:
+            data_to_sync = json.loads(
+                config['data_to_sync'] if config['data_to_sync'] else '{}')
+            if data_to_sync.get('profiles') or data_to_sync.get(
+                    'customFormats'):
+                details.append({
+                    'id': config['id'],
+                    'name': config['name'],
+                    'sync_method': config['sync_method'],
+                    'data': data_to_sync
+                })
+
+        return bool(details), details
diff --git a/backend/app/git/branches/checkout.py b/backend/app/git/branches/checkout.py
index 2eed401..f688dd7 100644
--- a/backend/app/git/branches/checkout.py
+++ b/backend/app/git/branches/checkout.py
@@ -2,12 +2,30 @@
 
 import git
 import logging
+from ...arr.manager import check_active_sync_configs
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def checkout_branch(repo_path, branch_name):
     try:
+        # Check for active sync configurations first
+        has_active_configs, configs = check_active_sync_configs()
+        if has_active_configs:
+            error_msg = (
+                "Cannot checkout branch while automatic sync configurations are active.\n"
+                "The following configurations must be set to manual sync first:\n"
+            )
+            for config in configs:
+                error_msg += f"- {config['name']} (ID: {config['id']}, {config['sync_method']} sync)\n"
+
+            logger.error(error_msg)
+            return False, {
+                "error": error_msg,
+                "code": "ACTIVE_SYNC_CONFIGS",
+                "configs": configs
+            }
+
         logger.debug(f"Attempting to checkout branch: {branch_name}")
         repo = git.Repo(repo_path)
 
diff --git a/backend/app/git/repo/unlink.py b/backend/app/git/repo/unlink.py
index 9cd2f82..a2a3395 100644
--- a/backend/app/git/repo/unlink.py
+++ b/backend/app/git/repo/unlink.py
@@ -3,12 +3,30 @@ import os
 import shutil
 import logging
 from ...db import save_settings
+from ...arr.manager import check_active_sync_configs
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 def unlink_repository(repo_path, remove_files=False):
     try:
+        # Check for active sync configurations first
+        has_active_configs, configs = check_active_sync_configs()
+        if has_active_configs:
+            error_msg = (
+                "Cannot unlink repository while automatic sync configurations are active.\n"
+                "The following configurations must be set to manual sync first:\n"
+            )
+            for config in configs:
+                error_msg += f"- {config['name']} (ID: {config['id']}, {config['sync_method']} sync)\n"
+
+            logger.error(error_msg)
+            return False, {
+                "error": error_msg,
+                "code": "ACTIVE_SYNC_CONFIGS",
+                "configs": configs
+            }
+
         logger.info(
             f"Starting unlink_repository with repo_path: {repo_path} and remove_files: {remove_files}"
         )
diff --git a/frontend/src/api/api.js b/frontend/src/api/api.js
index 918d459..9234beb 100644
--- a/frontend/src/api/api.js
+++ b/frontend/src/api/api.js
@@ -305,7 +305,10 @@ export const unlinkRepo = async (removeFiles = false) => {
         });
         return response.data;
     } catch (error) {
-        console.error('Error unlinking repository:', error);
+        if (error.response?.data) {
+            // Return the error response directly
+            return error.response.data;
+        }
         throw error;
     }
 };
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/settings/git/repo/RepoContainer.jsx b/frontend/src/components/settings/git/repo/RepoContainer.jsx
index ad501f2..9a6d07d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/settings/git/repo/RepoContainer.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/settings/git/repo/RepoContainer.jsx
@@ -140,12 +140,26 @@ const RepoContainer = ({settings, setSettings, fetchGitStatus, status}) => {
                 Alert.success('Repository unlinked successfully');
                 setShowUnlinkModal(false);
             } else {
-                Alert.error(response.error || 'Failed to unlink repository');
+                // Check if the error is a structured object
+                if (
+                    typeof response.error === 'object' &&
+                    response.error.error
+                ) {
+                    Alert.error(response.error.error);
+                } else if (typeof response.error === 'string') {
+                    Alert.error(response.error);
+                } else {
+                    Alert.error('Failed to unlink repository');
+                }
             }
         } catch (error) {
-            Alert.error(
-                'An unexpected error occurred while unlinking the repository'
-            );
+            if (error.response?.data?.error) {
+                Alert.error(error.response.data.error);
+            } else {
+                Alert.error(
+                    'An unexpected error occurred while unlinking the repository'
+                );
+            }
             console.error('Error unlinking repository:', error);
         } finally {
             setLoadingAction('');