Paul Di Giacomo and Gary McSwegan both scored their first goals of the season as Kilmarnock edged a poor game at Rugby Park.
The first half rose above the average on two occasions.
In the second minute Killie winger Stevie Murray cut in from the left to link with Di Giacomo and measured a right-footed shot perfectly for the top left corner only for Javier Sanchez Broto to deny him with an outstanding finger-tip save.
This wet the taste buds and set us up for a match to satisfy, only to leave us sadly disappointed.
Livingston had the better chances in the first 45 with Marvin Andrews and Eugene Dadi both passing up clear chances before Cherif Toure-Maman produced a breathtaking run a minute before half time, which swept him past three bewildered defenders.
His shot almost curved under Killie keeper Gordon Marshall but the veteran did enough to take the sting out of the shot and Dadi could only bundle the loose ball past the wrong side of the post.
Kilmarnock took advantage of a lucky break to open the scoring in the 64th minute. Shaun Dillion's effort rebounded off the crossbar and Kris Boyd was alert enough to tee up Di Giacomo, who swept the ball home from ten yards.
Kilmarnock sealed the win in injury time when James Fowler, who had endured a torrid afternoon, outpaced Gustavo Bahoken on the right and unselfishly squared the ball to McSwegan who could not miss from three yards