A heat-sensitive negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor includes a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and a coating provided thereon, the coating including an image-recording layer which includes hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles, a binder, and an infrared absorbing dye; wherein the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles have an average particle diameter, measured by Photon Correlation Spectroscopy, of more than 10 nm and less than 40 nm; the amount of the IR-dye, without taking into account an optional counter ion, is more than 0.80 mg per m2 of the total surface of the thermoplastic polymer particles, measured by Hydrodynamic Fractionation; and the amount of hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles relative to the total weight of the ingredients of the imaging layer is at least 60%.