The intercellular space or apoplast constitutes the main interface in plant-pathogen interactions. Apoplastic subtilisin-like proteases -subtilases- may play an important role in defence and they have been identified as targets of pathogen-secreted effector proteins. However, most evidence is limited to the interaction of plants with non-vascular foliar pathogens. Here, we characterise the role of the Solanaceae-specific P69 subtilase family in the interaction between tomato and the vascular bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum.