St. Mirren remain in top spot, despite failing to find a way past man-of-the-match Derek Soutar, Dundee's goalkeeper.
Ironically, Soutar was beaten by the first shot he faced, but Charlie Adam's drive from the edge of the box rattled a post after Simon Lappin's free-kick was not cleared.
Scott Robertson responded with a driven cross, but Tom McManus was wide with his volley. The league leaders were soon at the other end and Soutar made a flying save from a rasping drive by John Sutton, watching anxiously as David van Zanten's follow-up lob floated on to the roof of the net.
Bobby Mann and Callum Macdonald were playing resolutely at the back for the Dark Blues, and Steven Robb and Garry Brady were a useful combination on Dundee's left flank. The visitors also strung a few passes together with experienced skipper Barry Smith at the hub of many of their moves.
Yet it was Soutar who caught the eye. He made a marvellous stop from Lappin before Hugh Murray headed a Stewart Kean cross just wide, and was helped by Robb, who made a fabulous last-ditch intervention to thwart Sutton.
Adam fired in another shot which Soutar pushed away, and Macdonald made a splendid block on Kean as the striker sought to convert the rebound.
Kean had a long-range thunderbolt turned aside by the defiant Soutar, but Dundee should have snatched an unlikely win when substitute Craig O'Reilly stole through on a Kevin McDonald pass but stumbled, allowing Chris Smith to smother the ball.
The game ended with another Soutar save from Kean's low drive