A method for detecting and compensating for defective printing nozzles in an ink jet printing machine by using a computer includes printing printing nozzle test charts next to an actual print in a production run, subsequently recording and digitizing the printed printing nozzle test charts by using at least one image sensor, evaluating recorded test charts and, based thereon, defining characteristic values for all printing nozzles contributing to the printed printing nozzle test charts by using the computer, calculating a failure probability for every contributing printing nozzle based on the determined characteristic values by applying a statistical prediction model using the computer, and switching off and compensating for all printing nozzles exceeding a first defined threshold for the calculated failure probability. A printing operation is then carried out on the ink jet printing machine with printing nozzle compensation.