diff --git a/confd.go b/confd.go
index e0ccbf1af..cc7ee0204 100644
--- a/confd.go
+++ b/confd.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 	"runtime"
 	"syscall"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/kelseyhightower/confd/backends"
 	"github.com/kelseyhightower/confd/log"
@@ -38,6 +39,17 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
+	if config.SyncFirst {
+		for {
+			if err := template.Process(config.TemplateConfig); err != nil {
+				log.Error(err.Error())
+				time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+			} else {
+				break
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	stopChan := make(chan bool)
 	doneChan := make(chan bool)
 	errChan := make(chan error, 10)
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 75172d3dd..855b60f53 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	PrintVersion bool
 	ConfigFile   string
 	OneTime      bool
+	SyncFirst    bool
 }
 
 var config Config
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ func init() {
 	flag.StringVar(&config.Username, "username", "", "the username to authenticate as (only used with vault and etcd backends)")
 	flag.StringVar(&config.Password, "password", "", "the password to authenticate with (only used with vault and etcd backends)")
 	flag.BoolVar(&config.Watch, "watch", false, "enable watch support")
+	flag.BoolVar(&config.SyncFirst, "sync-first", false, "sync template first")
 }
 
 // initConfig initializes the confd configuration by first setting defaults,