Such is the progress made by Motherwell in recent months that this was considered two points lost rather than one gained for Terry Butcher's in-form side.
They still managed to extend their unbeaten run to six games and had it not been for a foul earlier in the move Alex Burn's 86th minute strike would have won the match rather than being disallowed.
Credit though to Livingston, whose much improved defence compensated for an over run midfield and helped to avoid a repetition of last spring's 6-2 hammering at the same ground.
An injury to midfielder Brian Kerr had forced Livingston into an early switch, with Quino replacing him but the visitors more than matched a Motherwell team unchanged for the eighth week in a row.
Livi could even have gone ahead after 19 minutes when a cross from Burton O'Brien presented skipper Stuart Lovell with a free header, which the Australian nodded over the bar.
Motherwell were struggling to pass the ball accurately, but it hardly seemed to matter as teenage forward David Clarkson fired them ahead in the 28th minute with a ferocious drive from long range.
Scotland star Stephen Pearson missed a half-chance to double the lead after 37 minutes and within 60 seconds Livingston drew level, when Emmanuel Dorado's cross eventually found top scorer Derek Lilley, who turned and drilled the ball home from the edge of the box.
Quino and his fellow Spaniard David Fernandez almost combined to make it 2-1 to Livingston shortly before half time, but having survived that Motherwell hit back after the break.
A terrible first touch let Clarkson down, then full-back Steven Hammell tested keeper Roddy McKenzie with the first of two curling free-kicks.
Livingston's only reply was a free-kick of their own from Lee Makel and, after it flashed wide, it was all hands to the pumps to withstand heavy Motherwell pressure.