An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member; a cleaning blade for removing toner in contact with the image bearing member; a load adjusting device for adjusting a contact load between the cleaning blade and the image bearing member; a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member; a developing roller moving device for moving the developing roller between a developing position in which the electrostatic latent image is to be developed and a non-developing position retracted from the developing position; and a control device for effecting control such that the developing roller is moved from the developing position to the non-developing position by the developing roller moving device during rotation of the image bearing member and after an area on the image bearing member opposed to the developing roller at the time when the developing roller is started to be moved from the developing position to the non-developing position passes through a contact area between the cleaning blade and the image bearing member, the contact load is made smaller than that during development by the load adjusting device and then the rotation of the image bearing member is stopped.