diff --git a/semantic_router/index/base.py b/semantic_router/index/base.py
index 884106c0fbe5b6fa79f201b761d2b18368282be5..fee3c4e20a587bedbe4e9c20dd57c8b1243322eb 100644
--- a/semantic_router/index/base.py
+++ b/semantic_router/index/base.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from datetime import datetime
+import time
 from typing import Any, List, Optional, Tuple, Union, Dict
 import json
 
@@ -157,26 +159,87 @@ class BaseIndex(BaseModel):
         logger.warning("This method should be implemented by subclasses.")
         self.index = None
 
-    def _read_hash(self) -> ConfigParameter:
-        """
-        Read the hash of the previously written index.
+    def _read_config(self, field: str, scope: str | None = None) -> ConfigParameter:
+        """Read a config parameter from the index.
 
-        This method should be implemented by subclasses.
+        :param field: The field to read.
+        :type field: str
+        :param scope: The scope to read.
+        :type scope: str | None
+        :return: The config parameter that was read.
+        :rtype: ConfigParameter
         """
         logger.warning("This method should be implemented by subclasses.")
         return ConfigParameter(
-            field="sr_hash",
+            field=field,
             value="",
-            namespace="",
+            scope=scope,
         )
 
-    def _write_config(self, config: ConfigParameter):
+    def _read_hash(self) -> ConfigParameter:
+        """Read the hash of the previously written index.
+
+        :return: The config parameter that was read.
+        :rtype: ConfigParameter
         """
-        Write a config parameter to the index.
+        return self._read_config(field="sr_hash")
 
-        This method should be implemented by subclasses.
+    def _write_config(self, config: ConfigParameter) -> ConfigParameter:
+        """Write a config parameter to the index.
+
+        :param config: The config parameter to write.
+        :type config: ConfigParameter
+        :return: The config parameter that was written.
+        :rtype: ConfigParameter
         """
         logger.warning("This method should be implemented by subclasses.")
+        return config
+
+    def lock(
+        self,
+        value: bool,
+        wait: int = 0,
+        scope: str | None = None
+    ) -> ConfigParameter:
+        """Lock/unlock the index for a given scope (if applicable). If index
+        already locked/unlocked, raises ValueError.
+
+        :param scope: The scope to lock.
+        :type scope: str | None
+        :param wait: The number of seconds to wait for the index to be unlocked, if
+        set to 0, will raise an error if index is already locked/unlocked.
+        :type wait: int
+        :return: The config parameter that was locked.
+        :rtype: ConfigParameter
+        """
+        start_time = datetime.now()
+        while True:
+            if self._is_locked(scope=scope) != value:
+                # in this case, we can set the lock value
+                break
+            if (datetime.now() - start_time).total_seconds() > wait:
+                # wait for 2.5 seconds before checking again
+                time.sleep(2.5)
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(f"Index is already {'locked' if value else 'unlocked'}.")
+        lock_param = ConfigParameter(
+            field="sr_lock",
+            value=str(value),
+            scope=scope,
+        )
+        self._write_config(lock_param)
+        return lock_param
+
+    def _is_locked(self, scope: str | None = None) -> bool:
+        """Check if the index is locked for a given scope (if applicable).
+
+        :param scope: The scope to check.
+        :type scope: str | None
+        :return: True if the index is locked, False otherwise.
+        :rtype: bool
+        """
+        lock_config = self._read_config(field="sr_lock", scope=scope)
+        return bool(lock_config.value)
 
     def _get_all(self, prefix: Optional[str] = None, include_metadata: bool = False):
         """
diff --git a/semantic_router/index/pinecone.py b/semantic_router/index/pinecone.py
index b4ba144e89fefe739f5a1d0dbc1ac84be58460f6..469a41411f8f1779f5ecfb9fc1dbd727d349085e 100644
--- a/semantic_router/index/pinecone.py
+++ b/semantic_router/index/pinecone.py
@@ -405,39 +405,43 @@ class PineconeIndex(BaseIndex):
         route_names = [result["metadata"]["sr_route"] for result in results["matches"]]
         return np.array(scores), route_names
 
-    def _read_hash(self) -> ConfigParameter:
+    def _read_config(self, field: str, scope: str | None = None) -> ConfigParameter:
+        scope = scope or self.namespace
         if self.index is None:
             return ConfigParameter(
-                field="sr_hash",
+                field=field,
                 value="",
-                namespace=self.namespace,
+                scope=scope,
             )
-        hash_id = f"sr_hash#{self.namespace}"
-        hash_record = self.index.fetch(
-            ids=[hash_id],
+        config_id = f"{field}#{scope}"
+        config_record = self.index.fetch(
+            ids=[config_id],
             namespace="sr_config",
         )
-        if hash_record["vectors"]:
+        if config_record["vectors"]:
             return ConfigParameter(
-                field="sr_hash",
-                value=hash_record["vectors"][hash_id]["metadata"]["value"],
-                created_at=hash_record["vectors"][hash_id]["metadata"]["created_at"],
-                namespace=self.namespace,
+                field=field,
+                value=config_record["vectors"][config_id]["metadata"]["value"],
+                created_at=config_record["vectors"][config_id]["metadata"][
+                    "created_at"
+                ],
+                scope=scope,
             )
         else:
-            logger.warning("Configuration for hash parameter not found in index.")
+            logger.warning(f"Configuration for {field} parameter not found in index.")
             return ConfigParameter(
-                field="sr_hash",
+                field=field,
                 value="",
-                namespace=self.namespace,
+                scope=scope,
             )
 
-    def _write_config(self, config: ConfigParameter) -> None:
+    def _write_config(self, config: ConfigParameter) -> ConfigParameter:
         """Method to write a config parameter to the remote Pinecone index.
 
         :param config: The config parameter to write to the index.
         :type config: ConfigParameter
         """
+        config.scope = config.scope or self.namespace
         if self.index is None:
             raise ValueError("Index has not been initialized.")
         if self.dimensions is None:
@@ -446,6 +450,7 @@ class PineconeIndex(BaseIndex):
             vectors=[config.to_pinecone(dimensions=self.dimensions)],
             namespace="sr_config",
         )
+        return config
 
     async def aquery(
         self,
diff --git a/semantic_router/routers/base.py b/semantic_router/routers/base.py
index 3628fda8553a8a6e6979d6684e2fdfaa1611ead5..347c5db9e8468dd066cbef9c227ac9c27bb0a405 100644
--- a/semantic_router/routers/base.py
+++ b/semantic_router/routers/base.py
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ class BaseRouter(BaseModel):
         route = self.check_for_matching_routes(top_class)
         return route, top_class_scores
 
-    def sync(self, sync_mode: str, force: bool = False) -> List[str]:
+    def sync(self, sync_mode: str, force: bool = False, wait: int = 0) -> List[str]:
         """Runs a sync of the local routes with the remote index.
 
         :param sync_mode: The mode to sync the routes with the remote index.
@@ -551,6 +551,10 @@ class BaseRouter(BaseModel):
         :param force: Whether to force the sync even if the local and remote
             hashes already match. Defaults to False.
         :type force: bool, optional
+        :param wait: The number of seconds to wait for the index to be unlocked
+        before proceeding with the sync. If set to 0, will raise an error if
+        index is already locked/unlocked.
+        :type wait: int
         :return: A list of diffs describing the addressed differences between
             the local and remote route layers.
         :rtype: List[str]
@@ -565,7 +569,9 @@ class BaseRouter(BaseModel):
                 remote_utterances=local_utterances,
             )
             return diff.to_utterance_str()
-        # otherwise we continue with the sync, first creating a diff
+        # otherwise we continue with the sync, first locking the index
+        _ = self.index.lock(value=True, wait=wait)
+        # first creating a diff
         local_utterances = self.to_config().to_utterances()
         remote_utterances = self.index.get_utterances()
         diff = UtteranceDiff.from_utterances(
@@ -576,6 +582,8 @@ class BaseRouter(BaseModel):
         sync_strategy = diff.get_sync_strategy(sync_mode=sync_mode)
         # and execute
         self._execute_sync_strategy(sync_strategy)
+        # unlock index after sync
+        _ = self.index.lock(value=False)
         return diff.to_utterance_str()
 
     def _execute_sync_strategy(self, strategy: Dict[str, Dict[str, List[Utterance]]]):
@@ -781,6 +789,9 @@ class BaseRouter(BaseModel):
         :param route_name: the name of the route to be deleted
         :type str:
         """
+        # ensure index is not locked
+        if self.index._is_locked():
+            raise ValueError("Index is locked. Cannot delete route.")
         current_local_hash = self._get_hash()
         current_remote_hash = self.index._read_hash()
         if current_remote_hash.value == "":
@@ -829,9 +840,13 @@ class BaseRouter(BaseModel):
         return config.get_hash()
 
     def _write_hash(self) -> ConfigParameter:
+        # lock index before writing
+        _ = self.index.lock(value=True)
         config = self.to_config()
         hash_config = config.get_hash()
         self.index._write_config(config=hash_config)
+        # unlock index after writing
+        _ = self.index.lock(value=False)
         return hash_config
 
     def is_synced(self) -> bool:
diff --git a/semantic_router/schema.py b/semantic_router/schema.py
index 2a94b3559f572dd878355ad19b1ab3ffdbd25108..d4f89aa868596dccdf5679269913bcce06009af7 100644
--- a/semantic_router/schema.py
+++ b/semantic_router/schema.py
@@ -62,12 +62,11 @@ class Message(BaseModel):
 class ConfigParameter(BaseModel):
     field: str
     value: str
-    namespace: Optional[str] = None
-    created_at: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: datetime.utcnow().isoformat())
+    scope: Optional[str] = None
+    created_at: str = Field(default_factory=lambda: datetime.now(datetime.UTC).isoformat())
 
     def to_pinecone(self, dimensions: int):
-        if self.namespace is None:
-            namespace = ""
+        namespace = self.scope or ""
         return {
             "id": f"{self.field}#{namespace}",
             "values": [0.1] * dimensions,
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_sync.py b/tests/unit/test_sync.py
index 8e73de34e740562981716e2aafb1a32f29e86620..a4e4539cfa92cd2292ddf2a4f752b1ae829f535c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_sync.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_sync.py
@@ -487,3 +487,86 @@ class TestSemanticRouter:
 
             # clear index
             route_layer.index.index.delete(namespace="", delete_all=True)
+
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(
+        os.environ.get("PINECONE_API_KEY") is None, reason="Pinecone API key required"
+    )
+    def test_sync_lock_prevents_concurrent_sync(self, openai_encoder, routes, index_cls):
+        """Test that sync lock prevents concurrent synchronization operations"""
+        index = init_index(index_cls)
+        route_layer = SemanticRouter(
+            encoder=openai_encoder,
+            routes=routes,
+            index=index,
+            auto_sync=None,
+        )
+        
+        # Acquire sync lock
+        route_layer.index.lock(value=True)
+        
+        # Attempt to sync while lock is held should raise exception
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="Sync operation already in progress"):
+            route_layer.sync("local")
+        
+        # Release lock
+        route_layer.index.lock(value=False)
+        
+        # Should succeed after lock is released
+        route_layer.sync("local")
+        if index_cls is PineconeIndex:
+            time.sleep(PINECONE_SLEEP)
+        assert route_layer.is_synced()
+
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(
+        os.environ.get("PINECONE_API_KEY") is None, reason="Pinecone API key required"
+    )
+    def test_sync_lock_auto_releases(self, openai_encoder, routes, index_cls):
+        """Test that sync lock is automatically released after sync operations"""
+        index = init_index(index_cls)
+        route_layer = SemanticRouter(
+            encoder=openai_encoder,
+            routes=routes,
+            index=index,
+            auto_sync=None,
+        )
+        
+        # Initial sync should acquire and release lock
+        route_layer.sync("local")
+        if index_cls is PineconeIndex:
+            time.sleep(PINECONE_SLEEP)
+        
+        # Lock should be released, allowing another sync
+        route_layer.sync("local")  # Should not raise exception
+        if index_cls is PineconeIndex:
+            time.sleep(PINECONE_SLEEP)
+        assert route_layer.is_synced()
+
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(
+        os.environ.get("PINECONE_API_KEY") is None, reason="Pinecone API key required"
+    )
+    def test_sync_lock_releases_on_error(self, openai_encoder, routes, index_cls):
+        """Test that sync lock is released even if sync operation fails"""
+        index = init_index(index_cls)
+        route_layer = SemanticRouter(
+            encoder=openai_encoder,
+            routes=routes,
+            index=index,
+            auto_sync=None,
+        )
+        
+        # Force an error during sync by temporarily breaking the index
+        original_sync = route_layer.index.sync
+        route_layer.index.sync = lambda *args, **kwargs: (_ for _ in ()).throw(Exception("Forced sync error"))
+        
+        # Sync should fail but release the lock
+        with pytest.raises(Exception, match="Forced sync error"):
+            route_layer.sync("local")
+        
+        # Restore original sync method
+        route_layer.index.sync = original_sync
+        
+        # Should be able to sync again since lock was released
+        route_layer.sync("local")
+        if index_cls is PineconeIndex:
+            time.sleep(PINECONE_SLEEP)
+        assert route_layer.is_synced()