To the welcome sound of home fans cheering them on, the Royals began brightly. Omar Richards' low ball into the middle wasn't cleared and Joao and Meite combined to tee up Rinomhota for a shot which was deflectes wide.
A minute later, Ejaria won a foul with some excellent footwork 22 yards out. Moore drove the set piece into the Forest wall, but Meite recycled it and forced a fine save from Samba as his swerving effort flew goalwards.
Rafael was called into action moments later though, saving from Taylor who had ghosted onto a deep freekick and volleyed the ball goalwards at the back post - the Brazilian keeper instinctively parrying on his goalline.
A quarter of an hour gone though, and the deadlock was broken. Andy Rinomhota won a free kick on the right, Olise delivered it into the box and Holmes got his head to the ball as Samba fumbled it. The ball was heading in and Yates clawed it off his goalline with his right hand. The Forest player was shown a red card, a penalty was awarded and Lucas Joao made no mistake. 1-0.
It could so easily have been 2-0 three minutes later. Olise threaded a superb ball into an onside Meite who turned back onto his left boot and into some space but arrowed high and wide from a good position.
Reading were enjoying themselves. Ejaria took aim from 25 yards out but his effort was charged down, then Richards embarked on a jinking from inside from the left only for the danger to eventually be snuffed out for a corner.
Tom Holmes found himself in the opposition box once more and swept a right-footed effort wide of the right post as the hosts searched a second goal.
The visitors recovered some composure but a nice move from the Royals led to Richards dinking a cross into Olise who headed over and was flagged offside in the process.
Meite almost forced an error from Samba when he bullied his way down the right flank and drilled a low ball towards goal when everyone expected a cross. Samba was down well to save it at the second attempt on his goalline.
In injury time, twice Reading nearly scored their second. Laurent found Meite's run with a threaded pass but yhe forward's low drive was deflected wide. Then a short corner worked its way out to Moore 25 yards out. He drilled it low into a crowded box and it ricocheted off a Reading boot and skidded side.
Half-time: Reading 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest brought on Figueiredo at the break, but it was Reading who were looking to score next. Richards looked to cross into Joao but an outstretched Forest boot intercepted it before it could reach the firing frontman in the middle.
Samba then shovelled an Olise shot wide of the left upright and Ejaria won a corner with a weaving run into the box along the byline. And from that corner Veljko Paunovic's men did get the second goal - Olise delivering the ball and Morrison rising high to head past Samba.
Reading wanted more. Figueiredo was chased back and back with the ball and his clearance was so nearly cut out by Joao, who got a touch to it but watched as the ball bobbled just wide of the goal.
Samba backed off to let Meite run onto a ball down the right side of the box next. He waited for support and teed up Ejaria who shot on the slide but saw his effort deflect wide for a goal kick.
Holmes crossed looking for Joao but he couldn't keep his header down under pressure from two defenders inside the Forest area.
Some quite preposterous skill from Ejaria on the ball saw him tee up Holmes for a shot but his effort flew off a Forest leg and wide for a corner.
Meite had the ball in the net when he glanced home a free kick, but the referee had blown just as the set piece was taken to enable him to talk to players pushing inside the box.
The Royals were keeping possession well and seeing out the final stages comfortably, nearly adding to their tally when Aluko crossed to the near post and Baldock stabbed just wide with a sliding leg.
But victory was ours and deservedly so. Reading were victorious on the fans' return.
Full-time: Reading 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Reading: Rafael, Holmes, Richards (Gibson 85), Moore (c), Morrison, Rinomhota, Laurent, Olise (Aluko 81), Meite (Semedo 74), Ejaria (Esteves 81), Joao (Baldock 86).
Unused subs: Southwood, McIntyre, Tetek, Onen.
Yellow: Richards
Goals: Joao 15, Morrison 53
Nottingham Forest: Samba, Worrall (c), Ribeiro, McKenna (Figueiredo HT), Christie, Yates, Arter (Sow 60), Cafu, Taylor (Swan 71), Knockaert (Ameobi 60), Lolley.
Unused subs: Smith, Jenkinson, Ioannou, Guerrero, Dawson.
Yellow: Cafu
Red: Yates
Men