Paul McKenna had a shot after 18 minutes which rebounded off Ipswich skipper Jason De Vos after a David Nugent left-wing cross.
In the 28th minute, McKenna had a 25-yard right-foot shot which the Ipswich keeper dived to his left to save after the referee had got in the way of the ball.
Nugent opened the scoring after 36 minutes following a through ball from Graham Alexander. The £100,000 signing from Bury picked up the ball on the halfway line and ran 60 yards before shooting left footed from 15 yards into the bottom corner on his home debut.
Nugent nearly made it two seven minutes later from a Richard Cresswell pass but his shot was pushed away by the keeper for a corner.
The fourth official added one minute of added time but Preston went in at half time deserving to be in front.
In the 56th minute, Chris Sedgwick was booked for a foul on Dean Bowditch and three minutes later Callum Davidson had a 30-yard drive saved by Kelvin Davis.
Tommy Miller made it 1-1 after 69 minutes when a Fabian Wilnis through ball came to the former Hartlepool man. Miller's first shot was saved by Gavin Ward but he bundled home the rebound from six yards.
Soon after Bowditch slid into Ward and after a five minute delay with the keeper flat out he was stretchered off and taken to hospital.
Ward was replaced by substitute goalkeeper Chris Neal who has just returned from a loan spell at Tamworth.
Darren Bent had a shot saved by Neal from close range with two minutes left but the match ended all square.