Jamie Langfield saved the Dons blushes as they eventually defeated Championship side Alloa 6-5 on penalties following a closely-fought 120 minutes at Pittodrie.
But of more concern to the Premiership side will be the second-half injuries which threaten to affect their league campaign.
The Dons lost both Willo Flood and Jonny Hayes to injury, the latter the result of a sickening clash of heads with Alloa defender Daryll Meggatt.
The home side had dominated proceedings in the first half, and the impressive Peter Pawlett forced former Dons goalkeeper Scott Bain to punch over his powerful 20 yard snap-shot.
The visitors were struggling to hold the ball in attack, but they had the best chance after 32 minutes. Jason Marr met a corner from the right, and his powerful header was pushed onto the crossbar by Langfield, before the danger was cleared.
That gave the Wasps hope and their best spell followed, but Aberdeen were still on top, and Pawlett flashed narrowly wide of the upright from even further out, this time striking from 30 yards.
Pawlett was the liveliest man on the park, and was involved when the home support shouted for a penalty as the ball may have come off Marr's arm as the defender challenged the Dons man, but referee Stevie O'Reilly looked to be correct in awarding only a corner.
A training ground free-kick routine saw Stephen Simmons threaten for the Wasps shortly after the interval, but from Ryan McCord's delivery, the former Hearts midfielder hit high and wide of the target.
Aberdeen were dealt a blow as Flood was forced off after 55 minutes through injury. His replacement in midfield was youngster Nicky Low, who previously had a spell on loan at Alloa.
The Dons were further weakened when Hayes came off worst in a clash of heads with Meggatt. There was a lengthy stoppage as the former Inverness man received treatment, and he was eventually replaced by Gregg Wylde.
Scott Vernon came on for Clark Robertson at the same time as the Dons threw men forward.
The injuries unsettled both sides, but the Wasps began to come more and more into the game, and substitute Eddie Ferns found the side-netting after beating Russell Anderson.
There was a penalty claim in the last of the five minutes of injury time as Anderson went down in the area, but referee O'Reilly was again unmoved by the claims.
Neither side could make the breakthrough during extra-time, so it was left to Langfield to make the crucial stop with the shoot-out at a perfect 5-5.
He dived to his left to parry Michael Doyle's effort away, and Mark Reynolds kept his cool to score the remaining penalty and seal the shoot-out victory.