A method for reducing horizontal banding in a printed image printed with an inkjet print engine includes printing on a print media sheet a first test patch with a first inkjet printhead being moved by the printhead carrier in a first print direction; printing on a print media sheet a second test patch with the first inkjet printhead being moved by the printhead carrier in a second print direction; determining a first characteristic of the first test patch; determining a second characteristic of the second test patch; comparing the first characteristic of the first test patch with the second characteristic of the second test patch; and selecting, based on the comparing, an initial print direction of the first inkjet printhead for a first printing pass that reduces horizontal banding in generating the printed image.