The Bulldogs scored the first try of the game in the third minute but Ryan Jenkins soon levelled.
The Bears went ahead with tries by centre Brad Massey and second row Adam Booth. With Glen Burnside kicking the conversions, Coventry looked to be well in control but Birmingham hit back to tie the game at sixteen all at the half-time break.
Scott Clendenning-Fenton ran in a 63rd minute try only for Birmingham to score twice at the other end.
With time running out, Clendenning-Fenton scored again but the conversion was missed and it looked like Coventry's record of never having lost to Birmingham would fall.
But debutant Tawana Chipadze raced through to score for Coventry to make it 30-28 and Nikki Hemopo in his final game before he returns to Australia added two more points to give Coventry a 32-28 victory.
Coventry Team
I.Pratt, G. Burnside, D. Wilding, B. Massey, T. Chipadze, N. Hemopo, A. Brown, R. Jenkins, S. Clendenning-Fenton, M. Evans, T. Watts, A. Booth, M. Challis, D. Coleman, S. Lawley, A. Burr, P. Malloy, C. Cain.
Coventry Scorers
Tries. Clendenning-Fenton (2). Jenkins, Massey, Booth, Chipadze
Conversions
Burnside (3) Clendenning-Fenton, Hemopo