Hearts new boy Dennis Wyness finally broke his scoring duck for his new side to settle a tight affair at Tynecastle.
The game needed a flash of brilliance as the two sides cancelled each other out, and Wyness decided it with a fine goal after 62 minutes.
The game started with both sides willing to get the ball down and pass it around, but it was Hearts who had most of the play.
Good wide play continually led to crosses being thrown into the Dunfermline box, but giant Hearts striker Mark De Vries received little change from Scott Wilson and Andrius Skerla in the centre of defence.
Derek Stillie was called into action in the 24th minute when Hearts midfielder Scott Severin sent his header towards the top corner only for the keeper to claw the ball away for a corner.
Dunfermline had created little up front, but had the ball in the back of the net on 35 minutes. Barry Nicholson's reverse pass found Stevie Crawford and he drilled his shot low past Tepi Moilanen but was thwarted by the offside flag.
Severin went close again five minutes before half-time as he headed a long Robbie Neilson throw onto the roof of the net, and the scoresheet remained blank at half-time.
The deadlock was broken just after the hour mark, and it ended a nightmare spell for Wyness.
Moments earlier the home crowd's impatience with their summer signing had become more audible, but he silenced his doubters with a splendid strike.
Picking the ball up 40 yards from goal he outstripped three Dunfermline defenders before calmly slotting beyond Stillie from 12 yards.
The relief was tangible throughout the stadium, and Wyness' confidence was buoyed to the extent that he attempted an audacious chip from 25 yards within minutes of his goal.
Aussie defender Patrick Kisnorbo made his Hearts debut as a second-half substitute, and had a shot at goal soon after although a deflection took the pace off his strike.
Dunfermline could have levelled with seven minutes remaining. The ball broke to Scottish international striker Crawford ten yards from goal, but his hurried shot was straight at Moilanen.
The day belonged to Wyness and his strike maintained Hearts' perfect start at home this season.