diff --git a/beetsplug/fetchart.py b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
index d4ab714de..70477a624 100644
--- a/beetsplug/fetchart.py
+++ b/beetsplug/fetchart.py
@@ -210,8 +210,8 @@ class ArtSource(RequestMixin):
     def fetch_image(self, candidate, plugin):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
-    def cleanup_tmp(self, candidate):
-        raise NotImplementedError()
+    def cleanup(self, candidate):
+        pass
 
 
 class LocalArtSource(ArtSource):
@@ -221,10 +221,6 @@ class LocalArtSource(ArtSource):
     def fetch_image(self, candidate, plugin):
         pass
 
-    def cleanup_tmp(self, candidate):
-        # local art source does not create tmp files
-        pass
-
 
 class RemoteArtSource(ArtSource):
     IS_LOCAL = False
@@ -298,7 +294,7 @@ class RemoteArtSource(ArtSource):
             self._log.debug(u'error fetching art: {}', exc)
             return
 
-    def cleanup_tmp(self, candidate):
+    def cleanup(self, candidate):
         if candidate.path:
             try:
                 util.remove(path=candidate.path)
@@ -1031,8 +1027,8 @@ class FetchArtPlugin(plugins.BeetsPlugin, RequestMixin):
                             u'using {0.LOC_STR} image {1}'.format(
                                 source, util.displayable_path(out.path)))
                         break
-                    # else: remove tmp images created by this invalid candidate
-                    source.cleanup_tmp(candidate)
+                    # Remove temporary files for invalid candidates.
+                    source.cleanup(candidate)
                 if out:
                     break
 
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 5d8c26bb9..c09b1b8ab 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -122,9 +122,11 @@ New features:
 
 Fixes:
 
-* :doc:`/plugins/fetchart`: Fixed a bug that caused fetchart to not take 
+* :doc:`/plugins/fetchart`: Fixed a bug that caused fetchart to not take
   environment variables such as proxy servers into account when making requests
   :bug:`3450`
+* :doc:`/plugins/fetchart`: Temporary files for fetched album art that fail
+  validation are now removed
 * :doc:`/plugins/inline`: In function-style field definitions that refer to
   flexible attributes, values could stick around from one function invocation
   to the next. This meant that, when displaying a list of objects, later