And the most comfortable of victories sent the Black Cats into an automatic promotion place for the first time this season.
It took Roy Keane's side less than three minutes to surge into the lead, but a bumper crowd of more than 38,000 had to wait until last minute before the victory was sealed courtesy of a dreadful mistake by goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.
Sunderland went ahead from their first attack with Jonny Evans proving he had fully recovered from the head injury sustained in the midweek draw against Stoke City.
The on-loan Manchester United defender rose magnificently to head home a Dean Whitehead free-kick after David Livermore had fouled Anthony Stokes.
Nicky Forster shot past the post in a rare Hull attack as the Black Cats threatened to build on their lead almost at will in an all-out attacking display.
David Connolly just failed to connect cleanly from a shrewd Whitehead pass and he took a brilliant save from Myhill to prevent Evans from repeating his earlier feat from a Whitehead corner.
Dwight Yorke had the ball in the net in the 40th minute only to be ruled offside from another well-worked move and Connolly was unable to get enough power behind his shots to beat Myhill as the home side finished the first half in dominant fashion.
Connolly missed a sitter in the 64th minute when he hit the post from only a few yards out from a centre by Grant Leadbitter, but the goal required to take over in second place finally arrived in the 90th minute when Myhill sliced an attempted clearance to allow substitute Stern John to pounce and nudge the ball into the empty net.