Rangers stretched their unbeaten run to three games, with a plucky point at Deepdale.
Lee Camp's first half spot-kick save proved decisive, as the R's battled heroically to clinch a point in Lancashire.
The hosts left the field to a chorus of boos from their own supporters - clear evidence of a job well done by the visitors.
In an even first half, Rangers were indebted to Camp for keeping them on terms.
The R's number one saved Paul Gallagher's 35th minute penalty, after referee Mr Kettle inexplicably awarded a handball against Martin Cranie.
At the other end, the visitors created a few half chances of their own, with Rowan Vine firing wide and Adam Bolder seeing his deflected header cleared off the line.
Hogan Ephraim went closest to breaking the deadlock in a disappointing second period, but honours ended even.
Caretaker Manager Mick Harford named an unchanged side for the trip to Deepdale, which meant Michael Mancienne was deemed fit enough to play a second match in four days after a six-week spell on the sidelines with a back / hamstring injury.
Midfielder Gareth Ainsworth lined up against his former Club, while Chelsea loanee Ben Sahar returned to the bench, after missing Saturday's showdown with Ipswich Town due to fatigue.
Preston boss Paul Simpson made two changes to the Whites starting XI after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Sheffield United, with Sean St Ledger and Patrick Agyemang returning to the fray.
After an equal opening, Preston created the first opportunity of the night in the seventh minute.
Callum Davidson's in-swinging free-kick from the by-line was flighted into the heart of the R's six-yard box and Karl Hawley glanced the ball a yard wide of Camp's right hand post.
Rangers were enjoying the lion's share of possession though and as the clock ticked towards the quarter hour, Preston custodian Andy Lonergan very nearly gifted them a fortuitous opener.
The Whites' number one was caught in no man's land coming for a Martin Rowlands corner and when the ball fell to Bolder, his header was deflected goalwards, only for Kevin Nicholls to hack the ball to safety.
Buoyed by that opening, the visitors created another decent opportunity five minutes later, when Vine fizzed an angled drive wide of Lonergan's right hand post.
Preston responded in kind moments later though, with Billy Jones making great ground from right back to charge into the box and head wide.
With the half petering towards the break, Rangers were the victims of a particularly harsh penalty decision.
Cranie appeared powerless to prevent the ball hitting his hand as it kicked up off the lush Deepdale turf from point-blank range, but referee Mr Kettle, on the advice of assistant Mr Nolan, pointed to the spot, when the man in the middle previously waved away the feint appeals.
Former QPR target Gallagher stepped up from 12-yards, but Camp guessed correctly, diving low to his right to save the striker's 35th minute spot-kick.
After his heroics in the first period, Camp almost gifted Preston a goal at the start of the second half.
Thankfully for Rangers, Mancienne was in the right place at the right time to clear his lines, after the ball squirmed underneath the R's keeper.
The Whites were in the ascendancy by now and when everyone except Jones missed St Ledger's back post cross, the right back scuffed his volley off the top of the crossbar.
Sensing his side required a pair of fresh legs, Harford again called upon Marc Nygaard in the 55th minute, days after his goalscoring exploits from the bench against Ipswich Town.
However, it was Preston who continued to pose the greater threat in the attacking third, with Karl Hawley bringing the ball down with aplomb from a long punt forward, only to see his deft volley fly inches over the bar, with Camp stranded on the edge of his six-yard box.
Camp had to be at his agile best yet again in the 69th minute, gathering on his goal-line at the second attempt, after substitute Simon Whaley sent a fearsome volley on target.
Play quickly switched to the other end, with Nygaard arching his body to head Hogan Ephraim's header inches wide of the stanchion.
Nygaard was constantly asking questions of the Whites rearguard.
In the 70th minute, his nod down landed at the feet of Vine, who played in Ephraim. The West Ham United loanee took one touch to set himself before firing an ambitious drive off the outside of his right boot, which Lonergan tipped to safety.
Rangers were steadily improving as the half wore on, but their inability to make the most of a couple of decent opportunities was proving costly.
When Mikele Leigertwood broke from deep inside his own half 18 minutes from time, he had options either side in Vine and Ephraim, but he chose to go alone and dragged a poor effort wide, albeit via the aid of a deflection.
Camp's stunning display showed no signs of letting up, with the R's keeper diving full stretch to tip Davidson's 74th minute header to safety.
Rangers went closest to grabbing all three points in the dying stages, with Rowlands heading wide in the final minute of normal time.
Preston North End: Lonergan, Davidson, Mawene, Sedgwick (Mellor 82), Hawley (Ormerod 66), Agyemang, Gallagher (Whaley 66), St Ledger, Hill, Jones, Nicholls.
Subs: McKenna, Neal.
Bookings: Davidson 66, Mawene 78
QPR: Camp, Barker, Stewart, Mancienne, Bolder, Ainsworth (Nygaard 56), Rowlands, Ephraim, Vine, Leigertwood, Cranie.
Subs: Cole, Bignot, Moore, Sahar.
Bookings: Mancienne 14, Bolder 35, Vine 52, Rowlands 64, Stewart 76
Referee: Mr T M Kettle
Attendance: 11, 407 (414)
