A stationary pagewidth inkjet printhead has one or more nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis of the printhead. Each nozzle is configurable to fire a droplet of ink at a plurality of predetermined different dot positions along the longitudinal axis, and each nozzle has an associated primary dot position. The printhead is configured to compensate for a dead nozzle by printing from a selected functioning nozzle positioned in a same nozzle row as the dead nozzle. The selected functioning nozzle is configured to fire some ink droplets at the primary dot position associated with the dead nozzle and to fire some ink droplets at its own primary dot position.