A process for recovering an esterified cellulose ether from a reaction product mixture obtained from a reaction of (a) a cellulose ether with (b) an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride or a di- or tricarboxylic acid anhydride or a combination of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid anhydride and a di- or tricarboxylic acid anhydride, comprises the steps of (i) contacting the reaction product mixture with an aqueous liquid to precipitate the esterified cellulose ether from the reaction product mixture, (ii) isolating the precipitated esterified cellulose ether from the mixture obtained in step (i), and (iii) suspending the isolated esterified cellulose ether in an aqueous liquid to provide a suspension having a temperature of at least 28° C., and (iv) recovering the esterified cellulose ether from the suspension of step (iii).