Shinji Kagawa helped himself to a first-half brace and Andre Schurrle scored a maiden Borussia Dortmund goal as Thomas Tuchel's side eased to a 3-0 DFB-Pokal win at Eintracht Trier.
Dortmund's fourth-tier opponents famously subjected them to a 2-1 defeat in this competition back in 1997, but there was never the slightest hint of a repeat after Tuchel named a strong line-up and was rewarded by a dominant display.
Kagawa could find his place under threat from Mario Gotze this season following the latter's return from Bayern Munich, but, with the 2014 World Cup winner sidelined due to a minor thigh complaint, the Japanese took the opportunity to impress.
Gotze's compatriot Schurrle, a close-season recruit from Wolfsburg, was involved in much of Dortmund's impressive attacking play before putting the result beyond doubt in first-half stoppage time.
The second period consequently took on a testimonial feel, with Dortmund's finishing lacking its earlier clinical edge, but Tuchel could enjoy watching his men operating in smooth working order ahead of this weekend's Bundesliga opener against his former club Mainz.
Dortmund pressed their opponents back from kick off and opened the scoring in the eighth minute.
Kagawa collected a pass from Sebastian Rode and fed Schurrle before continuing his run and dispatching the loose ball when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was unable to turn home the Germany international's cross.
Aubameyang almost doubled the advantage after 20 minutes, latching on to a sublime defence-splitting pass from centre-back Marc Bartra and lifting a dinked finish over Trier goalkeeper Chris Keilmann that came back off the inside of the post.
The only surprise surrounding Dortmund's second goal was that it took until after the half-hour mark to arrive – Kagawa's late run into the box again proving Trier's undoing when Schurrle let Gonazalo Castro's pass run across him.
Having been involved in the opening two goals, Schurrle opened his Dortmund account on the stroke of half-time, with Keilmann unable to keep out a firmly struck volley after Aubameyang stood up a cross to the far post.
A sliding block from home defender Florian Telch denied Kagawa hat-trick five minutes into the second half, the Japan star picking up the scraps after Schurrle challenged Keilmann aerially and was left with a blow to the head for his troubles.
The Trier goalkeeper was a spectator when Aubameyang headed Ousmane Dembele's centre against the crossbar.
Peter Rubeck's side responded with their most encouraging spell of the contest and substitute Muhamed Alawie could not find the finish to match his bustling run through the Dortmund defence
Tuchel introduced Emre Mor for the final quarter of the match and the highly touted Turkey youngster had Keilmann at full stretch to keep out a 25-yard drive.
The 24-year-old's best save of a busy outing came 14 minutes from time when substitute Adrian Ramos blasted goalwards on the end of a cutback from captain Marcel Schmelzer.
Aubameyang then missed twice more from close range, but his night of personal frustration was of little overall consequence.
