Derby’s Scott Malone scored against his former club and Robert Glatzel struck his first goal for Cardiff City in an enthralling draw at Pride Park.
Rams defender Malone scrambled the ball home from close range after a frenetic start as Jack Marriott and Martyn Waghorn had chances cleared.
German striker Glatzel powered in a penalty soon after to punish Richard Keogh for bringing him down in the box.
It left the Rams without a win in four home league games under Phillip Cocu.
Cardiff rose a place to 12th in the table after a third successive draw following an occasion on which there was drama before the game as well as during it as the stadium was evacuated amid reports of flares being discovered in the away concourse.
Players’ warm-ups were also disrupted, but the game kicked-off on time and sparked into early life with Malone’s goal.
Cardiff halted, but did not clear an early attack in which Marriott and Waghorn were thwarted before Malone pounced on Alex Smithies’ parried save to nudge home.
However, Glatzel levelled from the spot with a thumping effort with Derby still seething after being denied a penalty of their own when Waghorn appeared to be fouled in the Cardiff box by Joe Bennett.
After Glatzel struck back, Malone saw Smithies easily deal with his volley and at the other end, Joe Ralls was denied to leave the scores level at the break.
The crossbar denied Marriott’s dipping attempt to break the deadlock for the hosts.
Waghorn was also blocked by Smithies after he ghosted through the visiting defence before his low shot went wide.
Having struggled to impose themselves after the break, the introductions of Junior Hoilett and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on the hour lifted the Bluebirds.
Hoilett went close at the near post only to stumble on another attempt and Wales’ Tom Lawrence lofted a shot high for the Rams.
Glatzel then saw a header cleared off the line by Derby centre-back Matt Clarke and while both teams continued to attack, the breakthrough eluded them.
