A twist had fans talking ahead of the weekend's games after SPL chiefs confirmed that a 4-2 Inverness victory allied with a 2-0 loss for Motherwell at home to Kilmarnock would mean a play-off match next week between Well and Caley Thistle.
Regardless of the result here, many critics had begun to chew on their hats after predicting, perhaps understandably, that with last year's division one champs having to play have a home term 110 miles away in Aberdeen and a squad light in numbers, Caley Thistle would be dead certs for the trap door.
Striker-boss Craig Brewster was back in his own starting 11, while having to do without injured trio Juanjo, Steven Hislop and Liam Keogh. Skipper Stuart Golabek was suspended, leaving Canadian Richard Hastings to fill his left-back position.
The Taysiders were without the towering presence of Lee Wilkie, while Barry Smith was missing through suspension.
Dundee went close to breaking the deadlock on seven minutes when Callum McDonald struck the woodwork from Neil Barrett's free-kick.
Moments later Brewster intelligently laid the ball off to Barry Wilson, and he shot just over the top.
On 16 minutes, the Highlanders took the lead with a well-worked goal. Ian Black swept the ball out to Ross Tokely who advanced into the area and his cross was smashed home by goal-shy Roy McBain.
And they almost doubled their advantage when Brewster's drive shaved the post.
Inverness upped the pace and a fine Tokely shot forced a fine save from Derek Soutar as they pressed for a second.
Just one minute later Tom McManus drove a low effort wide, but Caley Thistle won a spot kick after Wilson was tripped by Barrett. The ex-Livi man was denied twice by Soutar and Bryan Prunty followed up to head home and make it 2-0, with Killie winning at Fir Park at the time by one goal.
Substitute Iain Anderson tested Mark Brown with a long-range shot that was brilliantly tipped over by the Inverness keeper.
Brewster could have made it three when he controlled the ball, with his back to goal, turned and shot just wide.
However, Brewster netted when he powered a superb header into the net on 65 minutes from Wilson's set-piece.
Dundee pulled it back to 3-1 when Anderson's free-kick bounced off the post and McManus reacted quickly to net from eight yards.
Then, with 11 minutes to go, the Dark Blues lessened hopes of a Highland top-six finish when Anderson's cross was knocked home by substitute John Sutton.
In the last five minutes, news filtered through that Motherwell had snatched an equaliser against Killie to all but seal sixth spot.