Danny LawHibernian left it late to send Aberdeen crashing out of the League Cup on a costly night for Derek McInnes’ side.
Jason Cummings volleyed home eight minutes from time before substitute Dominque Malonga added a second to earn the Championship side a place in the quarter-finals.
It was a match that came at a cost for the Dons with Willo Flood and, more worringly, Graeme Shinnie both limping off injured during the first half.
Shinnie, who had played every minute for the Dons this season until last night, has been one of the best performers during the club’s excellent start to the season.
His presence was sorely missed on a disappointing evening for Aberdeen and the Dons supporters will be praying the injury is not as serious as it looked.
Easter Road was the venue of McInnes’ first game in charge of Aberdeen in April 2013, a dull bottom-six encounter that ended in a goalless draw.
The two sides have gone in vastly differing directions since that fixture, with Hibs now playing their second season in the Championship since suffering demotion from Scotland’s top flight.
By stark contrast, the Dons have won a League Cup and hold a five-point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership, with a growing belief they can prove to be genuine challengers to Celtic’s ambitions for a fifth successive title.
However, cup football has a tendency to throw up unpredictable results and Alan Stubb’s side possessed plenty of players with the capacity to trouble the Dons.
On-loan Celt Liam Henderson, Dylan McGeouch, Lewis Stevenson, Jason Cummings and former St Mirren midfielder John McGinn all started for the hosts.
The Dons made two changes to the team that recorded a hugely impressive 3-1 win against Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.
Leading scorer Adam Rooney and midfielder Flood returned in place of Peter Pawlett and Paul Quinn as the Dons went for an Edinburgh double.
There was a worrying moment for the Dons after only four minutes when Flood hit the deck after appearing to go over his ankle. The energetic midfielder limped on but his mobility was clearly restricted.
After a tentative opening, Hibs were first to threaten but Cummings’ speculative effort from the edge of the area was too easy for Danny Ward.
The Dons almost gifted Hibs the lead soon after following a mix-up between Ward and Ash Taylor when the on-loan goalkeeper’s clearance bounced off the defender’s back and rolled straight towards goal before being cleared by Andy Considine.
Flood gave up his attempts to run off the injury and was taken off for Pawlett after 17 minutes.
Hibs’ lively start continued with Ward gathering Martin Boyle’s deflected effort at the second attempt before Henderson curled a free kick over.
It went from bad to worse for the Dons on the injury front when Shinnie hobbled off after 27 minutes and was replaced by Ryan McLaughlin.
Rooney worked Mark Oxley with a low drive but it was Hibs, who were enjoying the best of the chances with Boyle drawing another save from Ward, the busier of the two goalkeepers.
Aberdeen created the first opening of the second half with Niall McGinn hanging an inviting ball across goal which Pawlett headed over from only five yards out.
After a lacklustre first half, the Dons began to look sharper and almost plundered the opening goal when Considine headed narrowly wide from a Ryan Jack delivery.
The Dons adjusted to a 3-5-2 formation and it seemed to be working, with McInnes’ men enjoying far more possession.
But Cummings was proving to be a useful outlet for Hibs with the young attacker exciting the home support by slaloming past Considine and Taylor before trying his luck when he should have passed to substitute Dan Carmichael.
The home supporters were appealing for a penalty with 10 minutes remaining, believing that Considine had handled a McGinn corner when it looked to have struck the defender in the face.
But they were jumping for joy soon after when the ball fell kindly to Cummings on the edge of the area and the Hibernian attacker unleashed a piercing volley that arrowed into the corner of the goal.
With the Dons chasing for an equaliser, they were caught on the counter-attack as Hibs substitute Malonga put the result beyond doubt.