Gareth Anscombe scored a hat-trick of tries to help the Chiefs to a 33-39 bonus point victory over the Rebels in Melbourne.
Anscombe is already the leading point scorer in Super Rugby but scored 24 points in the match.
Chiefs fullback Anscombe almost scored a fourth try but was denied by the TMO as there was a knock on earlier in the breakdown before he got the ball.
The result moves the Chiefs back to the top of the New Zealand Super Rugby conference after the Blues had overtaken them and they are now level on 40 points with the Brumbies.
Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale, returning from a month-long suspension due to an alcohol-fueled fight with two teammates in South Africa, came off the bench to score one of the Rebels' five tries and help set up another.
But Brodie Retallick's try following his block of an attempted clearing kick by Rebels flyhalf James O'Connor with eight minutes left ultimately gave the New Zealand Conference-leading Chiefs their winning margin.
Lock Hugh Pyle scored a pair of tries for the Rebels, who trailed 24-14 at halftime but had more than 80 percent possession in the second half.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie said that he was concerned about them not finishing matches.
"We had the game under control a number of times and through a lack of rugby nouse and decision-making, we gifted the ball back and gave up a couple of soft tries and put ourselves under pressure," Rennie said.
"We lack killer instinct at the moment."
Lock Hugh Pyle scored a pair of tries for the Rebels, who trailed 24-14 at halftime but had more than 80 percent possession in the second half.
The Chiefs scored four tries in the opening half - three by Anscombe. A fourth try at the end was disallowed by video.
Beale, who still hopes to play for Australia against the British and Irish Lions in three tests in June and July, had missed the last six games; first through a broken hand and then suspension for his drunken altercations. After undergoing counseling over the past month, he returned to training on Tuesday and was named in the reserves a day later.
He came on at fullback in the 47th minute and made an inauspicious start; kicking the ball out on the full in the restart. But he showed he had lost none of his electric pace and skills as he helped set up lock Pyle's second try.
He and fellow playmaker O'Connor combined to send Nick Phipps in under the crossbar before Beale split the defense and raced to the tryline himself in the 75th, giving the Rebels two bonus points despite the loss.
The Rebels threatened through nearly 10 phases after the fulltime siren sounded, but a penalty with the home side meters from the try line ended their late comeback attempt.
Melbourne coach Damien Hill said he plans to put Beale back into the starting side next Saturday against the Blues in Auckland.
"He was electric, he added so much to our attack," Hill said.
"Two of those combinations he had with James; one led to a line break and one led to a try so I hope Kurtley gets a lot of confidence out of that."
Final Score Rebels 33 (14) Chiefs 39 (24)
Scorers
Rebels
Tries - S.Higginbotham, H.Pyle 2, N Phipps, K.Beale
Pen -
Con - J.O'Connor 4
Drop -
Cards -
Chiefs
Tries - G.Anscombe 3, B.Aki, S.Cane, B.Retalick
Pen - G.Ancombe
Con - G.Anscombe 3
Drop -
Cards -
Match Officials
Referee: Garratt Williamson
Assistant Ref 1:Ian Smith
Assistant Ref 2:Richard Goswell
TMO : Steve Leszczynski
Teams
Rebels
1. Nic Henderson , 2. Ged Robinson , 3. Laurie Weeks , 4. Hugh Pyle , 5. Cadeyrn Neville , 6. Jarrod Saffy , 7. Scott Fuglistaller , 8. Scott Higginbotham (c) , 9. Nick Phipps , 10. James O'Connor , 11. Cooper Vuna , 12. Rory Sidey , 13. Mitch Inman , 14. Tom English , 15. Jason Woodward
Replacements : 16. Shota Horie , 17. Paul Alo-Emile , 18. Luke Jones , 19. Gareth Delve , 20. Nic Stirzaker , 21. Kurtley Beale , 22. Lachlan Mitchell
Chiefs
1.Pauliasi Manu , 2.Mahonri Schwalger , 3.Ben Tameifuna , 4.Craig Clarke (c) , 5.Brodie Retallick , 6.Liam Messam , 7.Sam Cane , 8.Matt Vant Leven , 9.Brendon Leonard , 10.Aaron Cruden , 11.Asaeli Tikoirotuma , 12.Bundee Aki , 13.Tim Nanai-Williams , 14.Lelia Masaga , 15.Gareth Anscombe
Replacements :16.Hika Elliot , 17.Toby Smith , 18.Michael Fitzgerald , 19.Tanerau Latimer , 20.Augustine Pulu , 21.Robbie Robinson , 22.Patrick Osborne.
