A process for the isolation of 2-hydroxynaphthalenecarboxylic acid from its reaction mixture derived from the reaction of the alkali metal salts of 2-hydroxynaphthalene with carbon dioxide which comprises diluting the reaction mixture with such an amount of water that the ratio of water to organic product is about 4:1 to 6:1, maintaining the reaction mixture at a temperature of about 80.degree. to 100.degree. C, adjusting the pH to about 6 to 7 by addition of aqueous mineral acid, adding, if required, such an amount of 2-hydroxynaphthalene that 1 mole or more of 2-hydroxynaphthalene is present per mole of 2-hydroxynaphthalenecarboxylic acid, allowing the phases to separate into an upper and lower phase, separating the lower phase at a temperature of about 80.degree. to 100.degree. C, cooling said upper phase to a temperature of about 15.degree. to 25.degree. C to precipitate 2-hydroxynaphthalene, separating the precipitate, adjusting the pH of the remaining liquid upper phase to about 1 to 2 and isolating the 2-hydroxynaphthalenecarboxylic acid that has separated.