<p>This paper examined the joint role of firm capabilities and trade frictions in shaping export performance in a developing-country context, using firm-level data from the 2024 World Bank Enterprise Survey for Tunisia. The analysis distinguished between the extensive and the intensive margins. Export participation was analyzed using logit models, while export intensity was estimated using fractional logit specifications that account for the bounded nature of export shares. The results indicated that export participation is primarily associated with firm size, sectoral affiliation, and access to finance, consistent with the presence of fixed costs of export market entry. By contrast, export intensity is strongly constrained by trade frictions, particularly the customs and regulatory barriers. To capture the firms’ abilities to cope with such frictions, we constructed a capability index based on managerial practices, organizational features, and digital adoption. While firm capabilities do not exhibit a robust direct effect on export intensity, they are associated with a lower sensitivity of export performance to export clearance delays. These findings point to complementarities between firm-level capabilities and trade facilitation reforms. Reductions in regulatory and border delays remain essential for expanding exports, particularly among less capable firms.</p>