Bath (20) 27
Tries: Dixon, Browne, James Cons: James 2 Pens: James 2
Leicester (3) 21
Tries: J Murphy, Davies Con: G Murphy Pens: Hougaard 3
A Butch James try, the last action of the game, claimed an incredible win for Bath that extended their lead at the top of the Premiership to six points.
Tries from Pieter Dixon and Daniel Browne helped Bath open up a 17-point advantage, but Leicester fought back in an end-to-end second half.
Johne Murphy's score for Leicester set up a superb finish, and Mefin Davies looked to have won it with a late try.
But James burst through to rob the Tigers of the win at the death.
James created the score with a chip kick to captain Alex Crockett - and, despite failing to convert his own try, the Springbok left the field to rapturous applause from a full house at the Recreation Ground.
Leicester overcame Bath's initial domination and turned the game into an enjoyable, end-to-end encounter.
Though they had entered the break 20-3 down, Derick Hougaard kicked two second-half penalties to give the away side hope.
Murphy's 60th-minute try proved the signal for Leicester to camp on the Bath line.
Dixon received a yellow card late in a brutal, physical game to increase the pressure on the home side, and Davies finally made Leicester's momentum pay.
Geordan Murphy chipped over the conversion to open up a 21-20 lead, and Bath appeared to have squandered all opportunities to strike back.
But, with the ball refusing to die as the 80th minute ticked by, James scored to earn his team a sensational victory.
The win leaves Bath six points clear at the top of the league, though fourth-placed Harlequins can reduce the gap when they play lowly Wasps on Sunday.
Bath were without England trio Lee Mears, Matt Stevens and Michael Lipman for the game, but Ireland international Geordan Murphy returned at full-back from international duty.
Leicester included Dan Hipkiss, George Chuter and Jordan Crane, all released from the England elite training squad by Martin Johnson, while flanker Lewis Moody made his first Premiership start of the season.
Bath head coach Steve Meehan:
"It was brutal. There were some enormous contacts at the tackle. It will keep our physios busy for the next few days.
"We've certainly played better rugby than that this season but having said that, I don't think we have ever defended so well. It was just a mammoth example of belief this squad has got.
"This is a great reference point for us. In the second half our defence was outstanding and we rarely got the right side of the halfway line."
Leicester head coach Heyneke Meyer:
"There were a lot of positive things out of the game. We played brilliantly in the second half and showed character against a quality side.
"It was the best Premiership match I've seen in a long time - unbelievably quick. It was a battle out there.
"At half-time I told them I wasn't happy with their discipline and I wanted to see their character. This Leicester team is 50% of what I want them to be."
Bath: Maddock; Higgins, Crockett, Berne, Banahan; James, Bemand; Barnes, Dixon, Bell, Harrison, Grewcock, Short, Faamatuainu, Browne.
Replacements: Fuimaono-Sapolu for Berne (60), Jarvis for Bell (67), Beattie for Harrison (60).
Not Used: Hawkins, Scaysbrook, Baxter, Cuthbert.
Leicester: G Murphy; J Murphy, Hipkiss, Mauger, Smith; Hougaard, Dupuy; Stankovich, Chuter, Cole, Blaze, Wentzel, Corry, Moody, Crane.
Replacements: Varndell for G Murphy (39), B Youngs for Dupuy (76), Davies for Chuter (67), Bonorino for Cole (55), B. Deacon for Blaze (67), Kay for Wentzel (60), Newby for Moody (55).
Att: 10,600.
Ref: Andrew Small (RFU).
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~32~RS~)