A computer-implemented method for controlling a surgical stapling instrument for stapling tissue includes advancing an anvil assembly in relation to a staple cartridge to a first position defining a tissue gap between the staple cartridge and the anvil assembly and clamping tissue, the clamped tissue including a suture, measuring a first force of tissue compression of the tissue clamped within the tissue gap with the anvil assembly at a first time point, determining whether the measured first force is greater than a threshold, measuring a second force of tissue compression of the tissue clamped within the tissue gap at a second time point in response to the determination that the first force is greater than the threshold, determining whether the suture failed based on the measured second force being an amount less than the measured first force, and stopping the advancing of the anvil assembly based on the determined suture failure.