Richard Chaplow scored twice to stun Championship leaders Stoke and take Preston out of the bottom three.
Chaplow, who came off injured after the interval, opened the scoring midway in the first half when he prodded in a knock-down from Youl Mawene.
The midfielder doubled the lead with a 20-yard shot after connecting with Paul McKenna's pass from a free-kick.
Ricardo Fuller, Ryan Shawcross and Liam Lawrence all went close for Stoke who had Leon Cort carried off.
Preston manager Alan Irvine:
"We knew it would be really difficult before the game and we knew it would be difficult at half-time and obviously we've come through it.
"Perhaps the players are a little bit keyed up for the game and clearly we've got to make sure we take that into the games against all the other teams."
Stoke boss Tony Pulis:
"We had more one on ones than I have ever known in one match, we even managed to take it around the keeper once and still couldn't score.
"We needed to be more clinical tonight, not just in their box but in our box too. We have conceded some sloppy goals recently and that isn't good enough."
Preston: Lonergan, Davidson, Mawene, Chilvers, Chaplow (Carter 61), Sedgwick, McKenna, Jones, Whaley, Hawley (Mellor 90), Brown.
Subs Not Used: Chris Neal, St. Ledger, Ormerod.
Booked: Sedgwick.
Goals: Chaplow 22, 33.
Stoke: Simonsen, Griffin, Cort (Wilkinson 69), Whelan (Gallagher 80), Shawcross, Lawrence, Pugh, Delap, Sidibe (Parkin 69), Cresswell, Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Diao, Dickinson.
Booked: Pugh, Shawcross, Lawrence, Whelan.
Att: 10,347.
Ref: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~28~RS~)