A cost efficient method of making a lithographic printing plate precursor is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of coating a silver halide emulsion layer on a hydrophilic base which is provided with physical development nuclei; simultaneously with the preceding step, coating on the emulsion layer a solution that induces silver salt diffusion transfer reversal development of the silver halide; allowing diffusion of complexed silver ions to the physical development nuclei, thereby forming silver metal that is deposited on the hydrophilic base; a wash-off step wherein the emulsion layer is removed from the silver metal. The material thus obtained can be exposed image-wise in heat-mode, e.g. by means of an infrared laser, thereby ablating the silver metal and revealing the hydrophilic base at exposed areas. Immediately after exposure, it can be used as a lithographic printing plate without the need for a wet processing step.