More worryingly for Notts it stretched their run without a home win to five and it was back in August when they won in front of their own fans, who showed their clear disappointment at the end.
Cheltenham were more eager for the ball from the start and used it far better than Notts who looked lethargic. So completely in control were the Robins that it was a surprise they had to wait 35 minutes before going ahead.
Steve Guinan, who started his career at Forest, got the better of Notts central defender Julien Baudet and cut the ball back perfectly into the path of Brian Wilson whose pile driver left Kevin Pilkington without a hope of saving.
Cheltenham looked like going in at the break with this slender advantage, but referee Tony Leake spotted a handling offence by John Melligan and pointed to the spot with Baudet converting with virtually the last kick of the first half.
Shortly into the second period Notts transformed the situation by going in front for the first time. Robert Ullathorne delivered a dangerous corner and, after two other touches, Michael Edwards forced the ball home from close range.
Notts were simply unable to build on their lead - though Shane Higgs made an outstanding save to deny Andy White - and spirited Cheltenham kept plugging away.
Sloppy defensive work let in Shane Duff, from whom Pilkington made a brilliant parry, only for the ball to fall to Jamie Victory to pull the scores level.
Then, six minutes from time, the best of Cheltenham's many fine moves found Grant McCann unmarked to seal all three points and confirm County's misery.