1. A method of operating an imaging device comprising: identifying inoperative inkjets in the imaging device; modifying non-image data with reference to the identified inoperative inkjets; receiving continuous tone image data for forming an image with the imaging device; applying the modified non-image data to the received continuous tone image data to produce image data that compensates for the identified inoperative inkjets in the imaging device; and operating inkjets within the imaging device with reference to the image data that compensates for the identified inoperative inkjets.