Two second-half goals knocked the stuffing out of woeful Walsall and gave Rotherham an important tonic in their fight against the drop.
Colin Lee's side managed just two efforts on goal throughout the game, while the Millers - desperate for the points - battled hard before breaking the deadlock in the second period and going on to win comfortably with goals from defender Chris Swailes and ex-Saddler Martin Butler.
Rotherham could have gone ahead after just four minutes, when Chris Sedgwick's cross from the left was headed goalwards by Paul Warne, the ball hit a post and Ian Roper cleared off the line before Butler's follow-up thunderbolt from six yards was tipped over by keeper James Walker.
The nearest Walsall came in a dour first half, littered with offside calls, came six minutes from the break when Steve Corica's deep cross was headed clear by Swailes with Darren Wrack racing into the six-yard box.
Rotherham's best chance came three minutes from the break when a quickly taken Carl Robinson free-kick fell to Butler, but his shot on the turn skimmed the far post.
It took 55 minutes for Walsall to post their first serious assault on goal when Samways thumped a shot a yard past Gary Montgomery's post.
The Saddlers had another scare when Walker needed to tip a speculative 67th minute overhead kick over the top and the goal Rotherham deserved came from the ensuing corner.
Robinson took the kick, Martin McIntosh headed on and big defender Swailes was able to poke the ball home from five yards out for his third goal of the season.
The second came ten minutes from time when midfielder John Mullin sprinted 40 yards with ball before crossing for Butler to hare into the box and slide home.
And it could have been even worse for the Midlanders, as Sedgwick cracked a shot against a post with a minute left.