The Bundesliga's two most out-of-form teams played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday evening as Filip Kostic salvaged Stuttgart a point at Mainz.
Johannes Geis' free-kick put the hosts in front, just reward for a dominant performance, but it was still not enough to earn them their first win since mid-October.
A deflected cross from Kostic found its way in to save Huub Stevens from a second straight defeat in charge of the Swabians, who nevertheless remained rooted to the foot of the Bundesliga.
Stevens saw the size of the task he has taken on a week ago when Stuttgart were beaten 4-0 at home by Schalke - and it did not look like he had managed to lift his side much over the last seven days.
Mainz did much more to end their own poor run of form, taking the lead with one of their 10 attempts on goal in the first half.
Geis got the goal with an excellent free-kick curled over the wall from 20 yards and into the opposite corner to the one being guarded by Stuttgart goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
The only effort Stuttgart could manage before the break was from Oriol Romeu, but Loris Karius' goal never came under any threat.
Mainz continued to dominate in the second half and a second goal looked only a matter of time, but when it did arrive it came for Stuttgart.
Kostic got his first goal of the season, Filip Djuricic getting a telling deflection to his cross and the balling ending up in the far corner of Karius' goal.
The hosts tried to hit back and almost did so when Shinji Okazaki's shot was headed off the line by Christian Gentner, but they had to settle for a point.