Schalke piled the misery on their former coach Huub Stevens and his Hoffenheim side with a 1-0 win over the Bundesliga strugglers at the Arena AufSchalke on Friday.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored the only goal of the night in the 28th minute, when he turned Johannes Geis' cross in with an outstretched leg, and with his back to the goal, to earn the Royal Blues all three points.
Hoffenheim, who won their first game under Stevens against Hannover last weekend, put up a brave fight but rarely looked dangerous and they remain stuck inside the bottom two of the Bundesliga for the winter break.
Schalke's win lifts them to fourth for the night, although four clubs still have the chance to move above them on the final weekend of Bundesliga action in 2015.