Matt Fryatt scored within moments of his first appearance of the season at the Walkers Stadium to rescue a point for Leicester City.
The Foxes favourite had fallen foul of former manager Martin Allen who banished him to train with the youngsters.
But the striker was recalled for first-team action by new boss Gary Megson to score the goal which dumped Aston Villa out of the Carling Cup in midweek.
Stoke started brightly with Gaby Zakuani's fierce shot blocked by Patrick Kisnorbo, which was followed by a clever flick by Richard Cresswell which fizzed just wide.
A timely interception by Ryan Shawcross prevented DJ Campbell from getting a head to a cross from Mark De Vries, before Campbell went close with an overhead kick from 14 yards.
But it was Stoke who took the lead on 15 minutes when Ricardo Fuller stepped inside Gareth McAuley and fired a 20-yard angled drive into Marton Fulop's top left-hand corner.
In a first half of few chances the home side went close on 37 minutes when McAuley's header from Joe Mattock's corner was tipped over by Steve Simonsen.
Moments before the break, Fulop had to dash from his line to nick the ball off the boot of the advancing Fuller.
Megson then threw on substitute strikers Fryatt and Iain Hume for the restart and there was an almost instant reversal of fortunes for the Foxes when after 47 minutes Fryatt exchanged passes with James Chambers to drill home from ten yards.
There was a quicker pace to the second half but chances remained at a premium.
On 70 minutes Fryatt's first-time shot bounced just wide, before Simonsen stood firm to beat away Richard Stearman's thunderous drive.
Fryatt then rounded his marker, but there was no team-mate on hand to convert his cross which flew across the face of an unmarked goal.
As the game entered its final stages Stephen Clemence drove over from 20 yards, before another of his shots was deflected for a fruitless corner.
Stoke could have snatched it in the last minute, but referee Keith Hill waved aside their penalty claims after Mattock had appeared to upend Liam Lawrence inside the box.