It was deja vu for Wigan as they started the new season in the way they finished the old, by missing any number of openings before gifting their opponents an equaliser.
It had all seemed so rosy for the home side when Lee McCulloch fired them in front from long range after 38 minutes with a shot that beat Paul Gerrard.
Forest players were furious that Wigan's Jason Roberts appeared to handle the ball in the build up before McCulloch's killer finish, but referee Phil Dowd ignored their protests.
Forest keeper Gerrard was in constant first-half action as he denied Roberts and Nathan Ellington before McCulloch almost doubled Wigan's lead with a close-range header.
Wigan then stuck the bar from a free-kick and it seemed just a matter of time before the home side doubled their lead.
But Forest tightened up their defence after the break and while Wigan still had the lion's share of the play, chances were rare.
It was still against the run of play when Forest drew level just before the hour mark. Gareth Taylor deflected the ball over Wigan keeper John Filan and despite the home side's appeal for offside the goal was allowed to stand.
There was still time for Gerrard to deny Wigan twice more by producing super saves from McCulloch and substitute David Graham.