Goals from Kenwyne Jones and Joe Mason secured all three points for the visitors with a late goal from Michail Antonio not enough to save the hosts and also possibly providing a farewell from the striker whose future will now be the subject of fierce transfer deadline debate.
18,762 watched Forest slip to 16th in the Championship with 5 points from their 5 games played to date.
Although that does not represent a calamitous start, none of the Reds' opponents to date were teams that began the season as fancied promotion contenders.
Their next five games after the international break include two against relegated sides and a clash with beaten play-off finalists Middlesbrough.
It's a break from the action but for Dougie Freedman his mobile phone will be in use almost non-stop between now and Tuesday's deadline as he attempts to beef up a threadbare squad while also waiting for news about potential departures.