The home side started the better of the two sides with Micah Hyde and Steve Jones having early attempts at goal which were comfortably saved by North End keeper Carlo Nash.
At the other end Danny Dichio brought a save out of Burnley keeper Brian Jensen.
Referee Tanner almost contributed to the home side taking the lead by deflecting the ball into the path of James O'Connor, who found Wade Elliott and then met the winger's pull-back, only to see his shot deflected wide by Gifton Noel-Williams.
But it was Chris Sedgwick who came closest with a volley from 25 yards that beat the diving Jensen but flew just wide.
Winger Steve Jones was beginning to give the North End defence some problems and, after beating Graham Alexander, his cross was headed wide at the near post by Andy Gray.
The home side took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Alexander was brushed off the ball by Jon Harley on the corner of the penalty area following which Noel-Williams had a shot blocked, but James O'Connor followed up to smash the ball beyond Nash.
Burnley began the second half strongly with a Gray shot deflected for a corner from which Wayne Thomas had a shot saved by Nash.
Dichio picked up a yellow card for lashing out at Michael Duff with his feet after being fouled by the defender and then pushing away Thomas with his hand.
Gray should have increased Burnley's lead, but after a flowing move the striker headed wide from a cross by Elliott.
Preston had a chance to equalise but Danny Pugh missed his kick in front of goal, before Jensen tipped over a piledriver from Alexander.
Preston's pressure resulted in an equaliser 13 minutes from time when substitute Brett Ormerod knocked the ball down for Simon Whaley to finish in style.
The visitors stunned Turf Moor by taking the lead just three minutes later after Frank Sinclair had conceded an unnecessary corner from which Paul McKenna's delivery struck Sinclair and sat up nicely for substitute Ormerod to fire home from close range.
But it was the home side who bounced straight back with an equaliser themselves as Sinclair atoned for his mistake with a superb delivery from the right which was headed into his own net by central defender Sean St Ledger.
A remarkable second half was capped seven minutes later as Burnley snatched the winner, more good work down the left-hand side by Jones resulted in Gray planting a near-post header past Nash.