Preston got an early goal after 11 minutes when 31-year-old Brett Ormerod, starting his first game since August, latched on to a Kevin Nicholls header before beating his defender and hitting a 15-yard right-foot shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
It was his first goal of the season and he scored here against Plymouth last term.
Billy Jones limped off with a thigh injury after 37 minutes and had to be replaced by Simon Whaley who went to right-back.
Just before half-time Plymouth had a great chance when Peter Halmosi hit a 20-yard right-foot shot which went just wide of the keeper's left-hand post.
Krisztian Timar headed over the bar from a right-wing free-kick after 49 minutes and Karl Hawley had a right-foot shot pushed around the post by the Plymouth keeper for a corner.
Ormerod twisted and turned but his right-foot shot went wide of the keeper's right-hand post and Lilian Nalis also shot wide.
Darren Carter made it 2-0 to Preston after 67 minutes when a Nicholls free-kick was headed out by Timar and the ball came to Carter who hit a 20-yard left-foot shot through a mass of players home.