Star striker Greg Stewart was Dundee’s hero once more, as his late strike clinched a win at Firhill.
The Dark Blues were saved by the woodwork three times in a match that the hosts put a lot into, particularly in the first half.
But Stewart’s class was the difference when he cut in from the right on 78 minutes and curled one of his trademark left-footers into the far corner from the edge of the box.
Thistle may have been winless coming into this game but they looked like men on a mission to put that right early on.
Loan signing from Dundee United Robbie Muirhead could have become an instant Firhill hero (and popular back at Tannadice, no doubt) when the ball fell to him six yards out. But, his first time shot went straight at Scott Bain.
Kris Doolan was next to threaten. He too was wasteful though, dragging a shot from the 18-yard-line past the post.
Doolan nearly went from wasteful to wonderful when his spectacular over-head kick crashed off the face of the Dundee cross-bar.
All this happened in the first 15 minutes, with the visitors yet to have an attack worthy of mention.
The one-sided start to the game wouldn’t have been in the Paul Hartley masterplan, and neither would the 22nd minute substitution of James McPake. He was replaced by Julen Etxtabeguren.
There was a sign that the tide might be turning in the 26th minute, when Kane Hemmings nearly got on the end of a lovely Stewart through ball and was only denied by brave goalkeeping from Tomas Cerny.
And four minutes before the break the Dark Blues should have taken the lead.
Thistle made a mess of trying to play out from the back and turned over possession on the edge of the box. Nicky Ross put in Nicky Low and he missed the target with just the keeper to beat.
The first half action wasn’t over yet, though. Ryan Stevenson hit the near post and Gary Irvine was denied at point-blank range.
Irvine was last to threaten for Dundee before half-time and the first to do the same after it, when his shot on the angle was tipped over the bar by a full-stretch Cerny.
Thistle notched an unwanted hat-trick when they struck woodwork for the third time on this occasion it was Stevenson with a header on to the bar.
Rory Loy was now on the pitch and he came within inches of breaking the deadlock with a left foot strike that shaved the post.
Then on 78 minutes Stewart produced the winning goal after he beat the Thistle left-back and gave Cerny no chance with a perfectly guided shot from 18 yards.
He should have made it two, but couldn’t get his effort past Cerny from a much easier position than when he scored. The ball broke to Loy but he was denied a goal by the assistant referee’s flag.
Thistle couldn’t punish Dundee though, who saw out their 1-0 win.