With his side struggling the France international showed dazzling footwork to waltz across the penalty area past several Boro defenders before cutting a right-foot shot back across keeper Victor Valdes in the 57th minute.
West Ham had looked short of confidence and fell behind six minutes after the interval at the London Stadium when Uruguayan Cristhian Stuani's header was ajudged to have crossed the line despite a desperate clearance from Mark Noble.
West Ham pressed for a winner in the closing stages with Payet at the centre of their best moments but never really looked like finding one and they are third bottom of the table with one win from their opening seven games. Boro are 16th.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman)
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