diff --git a/gh_org_mgr/_gh_org.py b/gh_org_mgr/_gh_org.py
index 40cc402..66cfe2a 100644
--- a/gh_org_mgr/_gh_org.py
+++ b/gh_org_mgr/_gh_org.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class GHorg:  # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes, too-many-lines
     configured_org_owners: list[str] = field(default_factory=list)
     org_members: list[NamedUser] = field(default_factory=list)
     current_teams: dict[Team, dict] = field(default_factory=dict)
+    current_teams_str: list[str] = field(default_factory=list)
     configured_teams: dict[str, dict | None] = field(default_factory=dict)
     newly_added_users: list[NamedUser] = field(default_factory=list)
     current_repos_teams: dict[Repository, dict[Team, str]] = field(default_factory=dict)
@@ -290,18 +291,65 @@ def _get_current_teams(self):
         """Get teams of the existing organisation"""
         for team in list(self.org.get_teams()):
             self.current_teams[team] = {"members": {}, "repos": {}}
+        self.current_teams_str = [team.name for team in self.current_teams]
 
-    def create_missing_teams(self, dry: bool = False):
-        """Find out which teams are configured but not part of the org yet"""
+    def ensure_team_hierarchy(self) -> None:
+        """Check if all configured parent teams make sense: either they exist already or will be
+        created during this run"""
 
         # Get list of current teams
         self._get_current_teams()
 
-        # Get the names of the existing teams
-        existent_team_names = [team.name for team in self.current_teams]
+        # First, check whether all configured parent teams exist or will be created
+        for team, attributes in self.configured_teams.items():
+            if parent := attributes.get("parent"):  # type: ignore
+                if parent not in self.configured_teams:
+                    if parent not in self.current_teams_str:
+                        logging.critical(
+                            "The team '%s' is configured with parent team '%s', but this parent "
+                            "team does not exist and is not configured to be created. "
+                            "Cannot continue.",
+                            team,
+                            parent,
+                        )
+                        sys.exit(1)
+                    else:
+                        logging.debug(
+                            "The team '%s' is configured with parent team '%s', "
+                            "which already exists",
+                            team,
+                            parent,
+                        )
+                else:
+                    logging.debug(
+                        "The team '%s' is configured with parent team '%s', "
+                        "which will be created during this run",
+                        team,
+                        parent,
+                    )
+
+        # Second, order the teams in a way that parent teams are created before child teams
+        ordered_teams: dict[str, dict | None] = {}
+        while len(ordered_teams) < len(self.configured_teams):
+            for team, attributes in self.configured_teams.items():
+                # Team already ordered
+                if team in ordered_teams:
+                    continue
+                # Team has parent, but parent not ordered yet
+                if parent := attributes.get("parent"):  # type: ignore
+                    if parent not in ordered_teams:
+                        continue
+                # Team has no parent, or parent already ordered
+                ordered_teams[team] = attributes
+        # Overwrite configured teams with ordered ones
+        self.configured_teams = ordered_teams
+
+    def create_missing_teams(self, dry: bool = False) -> None:
+        """Find out which teams are configured but not part of the org yet"""
 
         for team, attributes in self.configured_teams.items():
-            if team not in existent_team_names:
+            if team not in self.current_teams_str:
+                # If a parent team is configured, try to get its ID
                 if parent := attributes.get("parent"):  # type: ignore
                     try:
                         parent_id = self.org.get_team_by_slug(sluggify_teamname(parent)).id
@@ -328,6 +376,7 @@ def create_missing_teams(self, dry: bool = False):
                             privacy="closed",
                         )
 
+                # No parent team configured
                 else:
                     logging.info("Creating team '%s' without parent", team)
                     self.stats.create_team(team)
diff --git a/gh_org_mgr/_helpers.py b/gh_org_mgr/_helpers.py
index b0eff0b..c86db2e 100644
--- a/gh_org_mgr/_helpers.py
+++ b/gh_org_mgr/_helpers.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def log_progress(message: str) -> None:
         sys.stderr.write("\r\033[K")
         sys.stderr.flush()
     else:
-        sys.stderr.write(f"\r\033[K⏳ {message}")
+        sys.stderr.write(f"\r\033[K⏳ {message}\n")
         sys.stderr.flush()
 
 
diff --git a/gh_org_mgr/manage.py b/gh_org_mgr/manage.py
index a907602..e9f33ac 100644
--- a/gh_org_mgr/manage.py
+++ b/gh_org_mgr/manage.py
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ def main():
         # Synchronise organisation owners
         log_progress("Synchronising organisation owners...")
         org.sync_org_owners(dry=args.dry, force=args.force)
+        # Validate parent/child team relationships
+        log_progress("Validating team hierarchy...")
+        org.ensure_team_hierarchy()
         # Create teams that aren't present at Github yet
         log_progress("Creating missing teams...")
         org.create_missing_teams(dry=args.dry)
@@ -164,7 +167,6 @@ def main():
         org.sync_repo_collaborator_permissions(dry=args.dry)
 
         # Debug output
-        log_progress("")  # clear progress
         logging.debug("Final dataclass:\n%s", org.pretty_print_dataclass())
         org.ratelimit()
 
diff --git a/tests/data/config/teams_files/teams_changes.yaml b/tests/data/config/teams_files/teams_changes.yaml
index 4b0e673..0f162cf 100644
--- a/tests/data/config/teams_files/teams_changes.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/config/teams_files/teams_changes.yaml
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@ Test2:
   maintainer:
     - TEST_USER
 
-Test3:
-  notification_setting: notifications_disabled
-  privacy: closed
-
 Test3-child:
   parent: Test3
   description: Child of Test3
@@ -25,5 +21,9 @@ Test3-child:
   member:
     - TEST_USER
 
+Test3:
+  notification_setting: notifications_disabled
+  privacy: closed
+
 Test4:
   member: