We revisit the calculation of the strong couplings D ∗ Dπ and B ∗ Bπ from the QCD light-cone sum rules using the pion light-cone distribution amplitudes. The accuracy of the correlation function, calculated from the operator product expansion near the light-cone, is upgraded by taking into account the gluon radiative corrections to the twist-3 terms. The double spectral density of the correlation function, including the twist-2, 3 terms at $O\left({\alpha }_s\right)$ $$ \mathcal{O}\left({\alpha}_s\right) $$ and the twist-4 LO terms, is presented in an analytical form for the first time. This form allows us to use various versions of the quark-hadron duality regions in the double dispersion relation underlying the sum rules. We predict $g_{D^{\ast }\mathrm{D\pi }}={14.1}_{-1.2}^{+1.3}$ $$ {g}_{D^{\ast } D\pi}={14.1}_{-1.2}^{+1.3} $$ and $g_{B^{\ast }\mathrm{B\pi }}={30.0}_{-2.4}^{+2.6}$ $$ {g}_{B^{\ast } B\pi}={30.0}_{-2.4}^{+2.6} $$ when the decay constants of heavy mesons entering the light-cone sum rule are taken from lattice QCD results. We compare our results with the experimental value for the charmed meson coupling and with the lattice QCD calculations.