A method and system for insuring printing accuracy in simplex imaging or duplex imaging, including a media sheet in a media path adapted to move the media sheet through the system. The media path includes sensors and a datum. The sensors include a leading edge sensor and a trailing edge sensor adapted to record the time of arrival of the edge. The edge arrival time difference is determined between the arrival time of the edge using output from the trailing edge sensor and the arrival time of the edge using output from the leading edge sensor. A correction factor is based upon the time difference. The time of arrival of the media sheet at the datum is determined using the correction factor to align items printed on both side of the media sheet.