A system and method for determining substrate media height including a media transport having a transport surface for carrying thereon substrate media along a media path in a process direction past a print zone. A media height detector is disposed upstream of the print zone. The height detector includes an elongate member disposed above the transport surface and extending across the transport surface in a cross-process direction. The elongate member is slanted with respect to the transport surface with a distance between the elongate member and the transport surface decreasing as the detector extends in the process direction. The height detector includes a deflection sensor operably connected to the elongate member. The deflection sensor senses deflection of the elongate member.