You would have got good odds on Burnley keeping a clean sheet but this was a totally different side from the one which conceded seven just three days earlier.
Goals from Dimitri Papadopoulos - his first for six months - and Robbie Blake, the man of the match, were enough to see off Preston.
But the visitors will point to a first half incident that probably proved the game's turning point.
A free-kick from Graham Alexander crashed against the crossbar and appeared to cross the line but referee Mark Halsey allowed play to continue and two Preston players, Richard Cresswell and Simon Lynch, could not capitalise with the goal at their mercy.
Just a few minutes later Papadopoulos pounced to score from a tight angle after David Lucas had pushed away a header from Steve Davis. Preston were rocked and never recovered.
The points were safely in the Burnley bag on the hour with a stunning free-kick from Blake.
The former Bradford City striker left Lucas without a prayer with a super shot which screamed in from 25 yards.
Burnley could have added a third when a Gareth Taylor header struck the foot of the post late on but there were few people complaining too much within the home support.
After the debacle against Watford this was a crucial result for the Clarets who can now look forward to the final games of the season safe in the knowledge that their Nationwide Division One future is guaranteed.