Steven Milne and Kenny Deuchar grabbed doubles as St Johnstone hammered Arbroath to book their place in the Co-operative Insurance Cup third round.
Milne drove home the opener after 24 minutes and Felipe Morais scored from 30 yards three minutes later.
Deucher scored on the turn and Milne lobbed home just before half time.
A Deuchar header made it five after 67 minutes and substitute Collin Samuel volleyed home after 71 minutes to end the route of the home side.
The result was never in doubt as the Scottish Premier League side took an early grip on the game at the Gayfield home of the Second Division leaders.
Defender Stuart McCaffrey twice hit the roof of the net with overhead kicks inside the first 15 minutes, while Graham Gartland met a Liam Craig cross only to head into the side-netting.
After Steven Milne forced a save out of goalkeeper Darren Hill with a shot on the turn, Saints went ahead following a slick three-man move involving Danny Grainger, Craig and Milne.
The latter drove the ball low under Hill's body and came close to doubling his tally when his audacious chip cracked the woodwork.
There appeared to be no immediate danger as Morais picked the ball up some 30 yards from goal, but the Portuguese winger tried his luck and hammered the ball beyond the reach of Hill to make it 2-0.
The lead was extended after 42 minutes as Martin Hardie's low cross was met by Deuchar on the turn, with the striker hammering the ball under Hill's body.
Saints underlined their superiority just before half-time as Milne lobbed into the top corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Derek McInnes' men were equally as commanding in the second period and nearly got their fifth goal on 52 minutes.
A finely-weighted Paul Sheerin pass was controlled on the edge of the box by Dave Mackay, who forced Hill into a decent stop.
Deuchar headed in St Johnstone's fifth after 67 minutes from Mackay's cross and the emphatic win was complete on 71 minutes as substitute Samuel volleyed beyond Hill.
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