Abstract: A controller for an oil fired burner for operating the ignitor initially in an interrupted mode, and instructing the burner to switch to intermittent ignition for a plurality of call-for-heat (“CFH”) cycles if it is determined that the flame quality is insufficient during the flame-proved period. On the last predetermined iteration cycle, a reset condition occurs; setting a counter back to zero, and a retry ignition is performed to operate once again in interrupted ignition mode. When the apparatus is in interrupted ignition mode, if the current CFH cycle ends normally by satisfying the call, the ignition will remain in the interrupted ignition mode.