Paul Le Guen tinkered with his starting eleven by putting Kris Boyd back in the side after the hitman come off the bench to score in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Dunfermline.
The former Killie hitman replaced Lee Martin and his inclusion was the only change to the line-up that faced the Pars at Ibrox.
Libor Sionko was also back in the squad for the first time since the win over Aberdeen in September while Paul Hartley made a surprise return to the Hearts side as captain in the absence of Steven Pressley.
As expected the match started at a frantic pace with neither team getting a second to settle on the ball.
But it was Rangers that had the best chance in the opening minutes when Adam played a delightful free-kick into the box. Dado Prso knocked the ball back across goal and Alan Hutton headed inches over the bar from close range.
Referee Dougie McDonald then stunned the Hearts supporters by awarding a free-kick but the danger was eventually cleared.
It took Hearts 11 minutes to have their first attempt on goal. Andrius Velicka picked the ball up 25 yards out but his dipping effort failed to trouble Gers’ keeper Allan McGregor who seemd to have the situation under control.
With so much riding on this heated encounter the tackles were flying in and Hutton was to receive the first yellow card of the match for a poor challenge on Brellier.
The match was flowing from end to end at this stage and Rangers managed to produce a quality move two minutes later. Barry Ferguson played a neat one-two with Prso before finding Novo but the Spaniards low effort was saved at the near post by Craig Gordon.
Hearts, buoyed by their vocal home support, continued to push forward at every opportunity but Brahim Hemdani was showing great composure, and some magnificent touches, in the heart of the Gers defence alongside Karl Svensson.
Paul Hartley was showing his commitment to the Tynecastle club despite recent off-the-field problems and he had to leave the field for treatment on the half-hour mark after a clash of heads with Charlie Adam.
The Hearts fans were then off their seats on 36 minutes when right-back Barasa played a teasing cross into the Gers six-yard box but Svensson scampered back to head the ball to safety under pressure.
At the other end Rangers also had a couple chance to take the lead before the interval.
Prso danced his way past Zaliukas on the right wing before playing a terrific cross but Novo was unable to connect with ball after it had taken a slight deflection off a Hearts defender.
From the resulting corner, Prso rose to meet Barry Ferguson’s near post delivery but his header went inches over.
A minute of injury time was added to an entertaining first half and during this period Jeremy Clement’s name was added to the referee’s notebook for a challenge on Hearts striker Jamie Mole.
The second-half started in a similar manner to the first and almost immediately the home side put pressure on the Rangers goal.
Velicka picked the ball up on the right and ran at Brahim Hemdani before unleashing a powerful effort which McGregor did well to save.
It was clear that both teams were looking for a moment of inspiration from one of their star players and Barry Ferguson tried to provide this on 51 minutes.
Prso received the ball on the left and passed inside to the Gers’ captain who took it in his stride before firing a tremendous shot that was parried by Gordon before being booted clear.
Ferguson was starting to influence proceedings in his usual manner and only minutes later he again tried his luck, this time from outside the 18-yard box, but his effort went agonisingly wide after taking a slight touch off a Hearts player.
Novo was putting in a lot of graft but he was given a yellow card on 57 minutes for showing a bit of frustration after a tangle with Zaliukas.
Boyd had a quiet afternoon on his return to the Gers team but he had a great chance to on 67 minutes.
Prso again played a brilliant cross but the striker’s right-foot effort from only six yards was straight at Gordon who did not have to move to make his stop.
It was a great chance for the prolific forward but Novo was to get his teammate out of jail when he found the net 11 minutes later.
Stevie Smith played a log ball into the last third of the pitch and Barry Ferguson flicked the ball to the winger who steadied himself before unleahing a low drive which gave Gordon no chance.
Paul Le Guen leapt from the away dug-out with delight along with his backroom staff while Novo fell to his knees in front of the ecstatic Gers support.
It was a tremendous moment for Nacho who has looked a different player in recent weeks.
The goal was enough to give Rangers all three points and few would argue that Le Guen’s men deserved their win after a committed display in the capital.
HEARTS: Gordon; Tall, Berra, Zaliukas; Barasa, Brellier Aguiar, Wallace (Goncalvez 46); Hartley; Mole (Mikoliunas 59), Velicka
Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Pressley, Neilson, Jankauskis, Karipidis
Bookings: Zaliukas (42) Hartley (70)
RANGERS: McGregor; Smith, Svensson, Hemdani, Hutton; Adam, Ferguson, Clement, Novo; Boyd, Prso
Subs Not Used: Klos, Buffel, Papac, Rae, Sionko, Sebo, Martin
Bookings; Hutton (16), Clement (45), Novo (57), Smith (76) Boyd (86)
Referee: Dougie McDonald
Man of the Match: Brahim Hemdani