Embodiments include systems and methods for performing image processing on a document based on a delayed determination of whether the document is monochrome or color. The image reproduction system includes image processing hardware configured to receive a plurality of pixels corresponding to a scan document, perform color processing on the plurality of pixels to produce color-processed scan data, perform monochrome processing on the plurality of pixels to produce monochrome-processed scan data, produce color distribution data for the plurality of pixels, and determine from the color distribution data that the scan document is one of a color document or a monochrome document. Based at least on determining that the scan document is one of a color document or a monochrome document, one of the color-processed scan data or the monochrome-processed scan data are discarded.