A lubricant application device comprising: an application roller located adjacent a photosensitive body of an imaging apparatus having an outer circumferential surface and application bristles radially arranged about the outer circumferential surface to receive lubricant from a lubricant supply source and to apply the lubricant to a photosensitive body in an imaging apparatus, wherein the application roller is positioned relative to the photosensitive body such that a minimum distance between the outer circumferential surface of the application roller and the photosensitive body is shorter than a length of the application bristles causing the application bristles between the circumferential surface of the application roller and the photosensitive body to bend; a drive unit to rotate the application roller; and a controller to control the drive unit, in order to rotate the application roller in a rotational direction to counteract a bristle-bending tendency of the application bristles of the application roller caused by an abutment between the application bristles and the photosensitive body; characterized by a plate-shaped application bristle restoration member having a long side that has a length at least equal to a length of the application roller along an axial direction of the application roller, wherein the long side of the plate-shaped application bristle restoration member is disposed at a position separated from the outer circumferential surface of the application roller by a predetermined distance (d) shorter than the length of the application bristles along a radial direction of the application roller, and the controller to control the drive unit to, before an imaging operation, rotate the application roller such that portions of the application bristles of the application roller having a bristle-bending tendency contact the plate-shaped application bristle restoration member at least once, the application roller to rotate in a direction by which the portions of the application bristles having the bristle-bending tendency are restored by contacting the plate-shaped application bristle restoration member. an application roller located adjacent a photosensitive body of an imaging apparatus having an outer circumferential surface and application bristles radially arranged about the outer circumferential surface to receive lubricant from a lubricant supply source and to apply the lubricant to a photosensitive body in an imaging apparatus, wherein the application roller is positioned relative to the photosensitive body such that a minimum distance between the outer circumferential surface of the application roller and the photosensitive body is shorter than a length of the application bristles causing the application bristles between the circumferential surface of the application roller and the photosensitive body to bend; a drive unit to rotate the application roller; and a controller to control the drive unit, in order to rotate the application roller in a rotational direction to counteract a bristle-bending tendency of the application bristles of the application roller caused by an abutment between the application bristles and the photosensitive body; characterized by a plate-shaped application bristle restoration member having a long side that has a length at least equal to a length of the application roller along an axial direction of the application roller, wherein the long side of the plate-shaped application bristle restoration member is disposed at a position separated from the outer circumferential surface of the application roller by a predetermined distance (d) shorter than the length of the application bristles along a radial direction of the application roller, and the controller to control the drive unit to, before an imaging operation, rotate the application roller such that portions of the application bristles of the application roller having a bristle-bending tendency contact the plate-shaped application bristle restoration member at least once, the application roller to rotate in a direction by which the portions of the application bristles having the bristle-bending tendency are restored by contacting the plate-shaped application bristle restoration member.