A late Lawrence Shankland penalty ensured St Johnstone left Tynecastle with no points to show for their efforts.
The Scotland international stroked home the winner from the spot with little less than 10 minutes remaining.
Saints had taken the lead through a lovely Graham Carey finish before goals from Kye Rowles and Liam Boyce had Hearts ahead.
But Andy Considine nodded the Perth visitors level at 2-2 as the game started to enter its latter stages.
Shankland and Hearts had the last laugh, however, to inflict a third straight defeat on Callum Davidson’s side.
Davidson had made just one change from last week’s defeat to Aberdeen and that saw Stevie May getting the nod up top instead of Theo Bair.
It has become no secret that Saints have been needing more attacking threat but they started well.
With just six minutes on the clock a poor Craig Gordon clearance fell to the feet of Carey who, it must be said, still had plenty to do.
Gordon, trying to recover back to a central position, could only watch the crafty Perth midfielder produce a majestic finish with the outside of his left boot.
Soon Daniel Phillips was looking to double the advantage with a low, fizzing effort that Gordon needed to gather at the second attempt.
Hearts did begin to work their way into the game and were on the prowl when Phillips lost possession in the middle of the park.
The ball was worked to Boyce who was only denied by a wonderful blocking challenge from Alex Mitchell.
From the resulting corner, however, Rowles rose above all to head the hosts level.
Saints were on the back foot although May, now with the captain’s armband after Melker Hallberg was required to go off, did have a sight of goal on 29 minutes.
He ghosted across his man to clip a Carey free-kick goalwards but the ball was always drifting the wrong side of the far post.
Moments later, Hearts had the lead. Josh Ginnelly’s pace took him beyond Considine before crossing for Boyce, unmarked, to nod in from close range.
Boyce was stretchered off on the stroke of half-time and six additional minutes were played, where Hearts almost grabbed another.
Replacement Shankland’s strike from inside the box was saved very well by Perth goalkeeper Remi Matthews.
Phillips and James Brown didn’t appear for the start of the second half and instead out came Liam Gordon and Adam Montgomery. Ryan McGowan subsequently moved up into the centre of the park.
Ginnelly’s pace continued to cause problems and he soon intercepted a short Gordon back pass before rounding Matthews.
The visiting No.1 was able to sprint back into position to make a clever stop with an outstretched boot. Just as well as it laid the foundations for Saints to draw level in the 53rd minute of the game.
That was when an Ali Crawford corner was flicked on at the front post by alert May. Sneaking in at the back post to nod over the line was Considine, right in front of the travelling support.
Hearts then went close to nudging back in front when substitute Alan Forrest curled an effort off the crossbar.
In the 69th minute, Crawford went for glory with a curling attempt of his own but Gordon managed to touch behind for a corner.
With legs tiring, three points were up for grabs but Hearts were back ahead from the penalty spot in the 81st minute.
Gordon had felled Barrie McKay in the box and Shankland made no mistake in sending Matthews the wrong way.
