It was fifth time lucky for Derby manager George Burley, as he finally tasted victory against his former club Ipswich.
The previous four meetings between the teams since Burley took over at Derby had gone in the favour of the Suffolk side, but this time it was Burley's day.
But Derby made him sweat for this first victory of the season, throwing away a first-half lead with two moments of madness in defence.
But a spirited fightback was good enough to beat an Ipswich that missed the guiding force of experienced Jim Magilton in midfield.
Derby had strengthened their midfield in the summer and two2 of the new arrivals, Morten Bisgaard and Ingio Idiakez, had a big bearing on this match.
Bisgaard was a tireless presence on the right while Idiakez showed composure in the middle of Derby's midfield.
Marko Reich had been substituted in the midweek defeat to Leicester but he opened the scoring by heading in a Tommy Smith cross from ten yards.
But 17-year-old Nathan Doyle clumsily fouled Ian Westlake to concede a penalty that Tommy Miller clinically despatched in the bottom right-hand corner five minutes later.
Doyle then underhit a back pass in the 43rd minute that allowed Dean Bowditch to slide the ball between the legs of Lee Camp to leave Derby in trouble.
But Idiakez equalized in the 58th minute with a stunning free-kick from 20 yards that rocketed in to the top left-hand corner and then Reich got his second seven minutes later.
He cut inside from the left and wrongfooted Kelvin Davis by pulling a right-foot shot from 15 yards inside the keeper's right-hand post.