Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a recording head configured to eject ink corresponding to an image to be printed, using arranged nozzles;
• a control unit configured to determine nozzles corresponding to the image and cause the recording head to eject ink from the nozzles;
• an ejection malfunction detecting unit configured to cause the recording head to (a) print a first test pattern on a print sheet using the recording head, and (b) detect a density defect due to ejection malfunction in a scanned image of the first test pattern;
• an ejection malfunction nozzle determining unit configured to cause the recording head (a) to print a second test pattern using the recording head if the density defect is detected by the ejection malfunction detecting unit, and (b) to not to perform printing of the second test pattern if no density defects are detected by the ejection malfunction detecting unit and
• wherein, in response to suspending a print job, the ejection malfunction detecting unit causes the recording head (a) to print the first test pattern, (b) to resume the suspended print job after printing the first test pattern, and determines whether a density defect exists in a scanned image of the first test pattern while the print job is being resumed.