Reda Khadra got the only goal of the game at the bet365 Stadium as Blackburn Rovers handed Stoke City their second home defeat of the season.
The on-loan Brighton midfielder collected the ball from John Buckley on 52 minutes before powering a right-foot shot from outside the box into the bottom left corner.
Four minutes later, Blackburn lost keeper Thomas Kaminski with a stomach muscle injury. But the visitors hung on to climb from seventh to fourth in the Championship, the highest they have been under Tony Mowbray.
Since losing 7-0 at home to leaders Fulham at the start of November, Rovers have now taken 10 points out of a possible 12.