The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for automatically changing from bi-ventricular pacing, in which an implantable medical device (IMD) applies pacing stimuli to both ventricles of a heart during a cardiac cycle, to single-ventricle pacing, in which the IMD paces one ventricle and inhibits pacing of the other. An IMD applying the techniques of the invention automatically changes from bi-ventricular pacing to single-ventricle pacing, or vice versa, as a function of the reliability of left ventricular pacing. Exemplary techniques for determining the reliability of left ventricular pacing include impedance measurement, capture testing, capture threshold testing, or any combination thereof.