The visitors led when Simon Makienok finished calmly for his second league goal this season from Greg Cunningham's pass just before the interval.
Forest improved after the break and they levelled when Thomas Lam's volley went in via the post and Preston goalkeeper Chris Maxwell.
Makienok and Alan Browne forced fine saves from Forest's Vladimir Stojkovic as the match finished level.
Forest, who had been hammered 3-0 at rivals Derby on Sunday, started slowly and could have fallen behind in the opening minutes when Stojkovic saved brilliantly from Callum Robinson before later diverting Browne's strike from range onto the post.
Nicklas Bendtner should have put the hosts in front when he fired over from Eric Lichaj's cross before Makienok scored just his second league goal of the season.
Philippe Montanier changed formation at the break and Forest got the goal their improvement deserved when Lam's shot hit the post before bouncing off Maxwell's heel and into the net.
Both teams had chances to win it, with Preston defender Alex Baptiste producing a brilliant goal-line clearance to deny Apostolos Vellios in the dying minutes.
Nottingham Forest manager Philippe Montanier told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"We deserved to lose the first half. The first half was awful, but we had a good reaction and a good game in the second half.
"The players showed good determination at the beginning of the second half and after that we were confident."
Preston manager Simon Grayson told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"If you'd offered us a point before the start of the game, we'd have taken it because you expect Forest to have a reaction from the weekend's result.
"But we knew that if we got after them early on we could put them on the back foot and we did that.
"Overall I thought we had a very, very good first half. You just want to have that extra goal to go in 2-0 possibly at half-time based on how well we'd played.
"Second half, you knew there was going to be a reaction and they changed their system and had a go at us so it's a bit frustrating that we've not won the game, but the way the second half went at times I'm delighted we got another point."
Match ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Preston North End 1.
Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Preston North End 1.
Alex Baptiste (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution, Preston North End. Paul Huntington replaces Marnick Vermijl.
Attempt blocked. Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ben Osborn.
Offside, Preston North End. Ben Pringle tries a through ball, but Simon Makienok is caught offside.
Joe Worrall (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Hugill (Preston North End).
Attempt blocked. Apostolos Vellios (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Alan Browne (Preston North End) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Simon Makienok (Preston North End) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Alan Browne (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Daniel Johnson.
Attempt missed. Jordan Hugill (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Alex Baptiste.
Attempt blocked. Matt Mills (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Corner,  Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Daniel Johnson.
Ben Osborn (Nottingham Forest) hits the right post with a header from the centre of the box.
Substitution, Preston North End. Jordan Hugill replaces Callum Robinson.
Attempt missed. Apostolos Vellios (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Armand Traore with a cross.
David Vaughan (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by David Vaughan (Nottingham Forest).
Tom Clarke (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Hildeberto Pereira (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
Corner,  Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Chris Maxwell.
Attempt saved. Pajtim Kasami (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Apostolos Vellios.
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Pajtim Kasami replaces Thomas Lam.
Attempt saved. Marnick Vermijl (Preston North End) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Callum Robinson.
Own Goal by Chris Maxwell, Preston North End.  Nottingham Forest 1, Preston North End 1.
Thomas Lam (Nottingham Forest) hits the right post with a left footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Eric Lichaj with a cross.
Greg Cunningham (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Apostolos Vellios (Nottingham Forest).
Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Apostolos Vellios replaces Nicklas Bendtner.
Attempt saved. Daniel Johnson (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Simon Makienok with a headed pass.
Attempt missed. David Vaughan (Nottingham Forest) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner,  Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Chris Maxwell.
Attempt saved. Nicklas Bendtner (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Hildeberto Pereira with a through ball.
Corner,  Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Alan Browne.
Attempt saved. Matthew Cash (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Armand Traore with a cross.
Simon Makienok (Preston North End) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest).
Daniel Johnson (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Nottingham Forest came from behind to draw with Preston at the City Ground.