Livingston have knocked back an approach by St Johnstone to speak to manager David Martindale.
The McDiarmid Park side sought permission to discuss their managerial vacancy with the 49-year-old on Monday.
However, the Lions have revealed that this move from their Premiership rivals has been rejected.
A statement from the club's CEO Dave Black reads: "Following recent speculation over the past 48 hours regarding men's first-team manager David Martindale, I was keen to provide supporters with an update.
"Yesterday, the club received an official approach from St Johnstone for permission to speak to David about taking on the vacant position at McDiarmid Park.
"Following discussions with John Ward, John McIlvogue and David himself, I informed St Johnstone this morning that we wouldn't be giving permission for that conversation to take place."
Steven Maclean was sacked by Saints on Sunday afternoon following a dismal start to the season.
The Perth club are still without a win in the Scottish Premiership this season and are rooted to the bottom of the table.
Club legend MacLean took over at Saints on an interim basis at the tail end of last season after Callum Davidson was sacked with the club facing the drop. After keeping the club in the division, the 2014 cup winner was rewarded with the job on a permanent basis.
However, the weekend defeat away at St Mirren proved to be the final nail in the coffin as far as his tenure at McDiarmid was concerned.
Alex Cleland is in inteirm charge as the team prepares for Kilmarnock on Wednesday evening.
Derek McInnes admits seeing his former club sack Steven MacLean underlined the increasingly challenging environment for young managers in Scottish football.
He said: “I am really disappointed a young manager has lost his job so early in the season. We are now on three casualties and we were not even in November. It’s so disappointing to see that.
“You see a lot of clubs appointing from within and a lot of first-time managers in the Premiership at the minute."
