diff --git a/beetsplug/the.py b/beetsplug/the.py
index 238aec32f..dfc58817d 100644
--- a/beetsplug/the.py
+++ b/beetsplug/the.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
 __author__ = 'baobab@heresiarch.info'
 __version__ = '1.1'
 
-PATTERN_THE = u'^[the]{3}\\s'
+PATTERN_THE = u'^the\\s'
 PATTERN_A = u'^[a][n]?\\s'
 FORMAT = u'{0}, {1}'
 
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 64e6ab85c..4a87f7f07 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ New features:
 
 Fixes:
 
+* :doc:`/plugins/the`: Fixed incorrect regex for 'the' that matched any
+  3-letter combination of the letters t, h, e.
+  :bug:`3701`
 * :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`
diff --git a/test/test_the.py b/test/test_the.py
index 263446b92..1fc488953 100644
--- a/test/test_the.py
+++ b/test/test_the.py
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ class ThePluginTest(_common.TestCase):
                          u'A Thing, An')
         self.assertEqual(ThePlugin().unthe(u'the An Arse', PATTERN_A),
                          u'the An Arse')
+        self.assertEqual(ThePlugin().unthe(u'TET - Travailleur', PATTERN_THE),
+                         u'TET - Travailleur')
 
     def test_unthe_with_strip(self):
         config['the']['strip'] = True