A method for making a transistor 20 that includes using a transition metal nitride layer 200 and/or a SOG layer 220 to protect the source/drain regions 60 from silicidation during the silicidation of the gate electrode 90. The SOG layer 210 is planarized to expose the transition metal nitride layer 200 or the gate electrode 93 before the gate silicidation process. If a transition metal nitride layer 200 is used, then it is removed from the top of the gate electrode 93 before the full silicidation of the gate electrode 90.