An image forming apparatus includes a storage portion, a communication portion, a mechanism control portion, and a main control portion. The storage portion stores various kinds of information as to the image forming apparatus. The communication portion exchanges data and instructions with another image forming apparatus. The mechanism control portion controls operation of a mechanical system in the image forming apparatus. The main control portion performs a job related to a function of the image forming apparatus by controlling operation of constituent elements including the mechanism control portion in the image forming apparatus, and transmits an instruction to make the other image forming apparatus perform the job via the communication portion if, on detecting an error, the main control portion determines that only the main control portion has been rebooted based on a specific error of the image forming apparatus that is same as the error previously in the job.