Abstract: A process for preparing 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde, by a) providing a liquid stream with methyl mercaptan and/or the hemi thioacetal formed from 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde and methyl mercaptan; b) providing an acrolein with a vapor stream, where the major part of the vapor stream is acrolein, and the pressure of the vapor stream is lower than atmospheric pressure; c) introducing the liquid stream with methyl mercaptan and/or the hemi thioacetal formed from 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde and methyl mercaptan of a) and the acrolein with a vapor stream of b) into a reaction unit with a vapor-liquid mixing device, and d) reacting acrolein with methyl mercaptan and/or the hemi thioacetal formed from 3-methylthiopropionaldehyde and methyl mercaptan in the reaction unit of c) to give a 3-metyhlthiopropionaldehyde product mixture.