Syntax error causing model validation warning

Developing a Django 1.6 application, and getting a unexpected error. I had a syntax error in my code:

if:
    # some stuff
if else:
    # some more stuff

Clearly an error, that's not the issue (should be just else:). The issue is that when I went to run my tests (before noticing the problem), this was the error message I got:

ƒ: python manage.py test
Creating test database for alias 'default'...
CommandError: One or more models did not validate:
member.company: 'mc' has a relation with model datamining.MergedCompany, which has either not been installed or is abstract.
member.headshotwithcoloredbg: 'question' has a relation with model contest.Question, which has either not been installed or is abstract.

This has nothing to do with the problem, as far as I can see. The file that had the error is in a different app from the models that failed validation. There's really no connection.

I happened to notice the syntax error soon after and fixed it, but this behavior is worrisome.

Can anyone explain why a syntax error wasn't raised in this case? It's worrisome since the message gives very little guidance on where to look or what was actually wrong.

Thanks!