Lucas Joao was gifted a birthday double by slipshod Stoke as Reading maintained their perfect Championship home record with victory over Alex Neil's Potters.
The Royals led inside two minutes as Joao punished Stoke keeper Jack Bonham's ill-advised decision to race out of his box to meet a ball over the top.
Ben Wilmot fired the visitors level before the break but later clumsily felled Joao in the box and the Portuguese forward celebrated turning 29 by tucking home the winner from the spot.
Paul Ince's Reading move up to third in the table after a fourth win in four home games while Stoke stay 19th to leave Neil still seeking his first win as Potters boss.