A process for joining ceramic components, wherein the components which are to be joined consist of sintered nonoxide ceramic, and the components are brought into contact with one another in a diffusion-welding process in the presence of a shielding gas atmosphere and are joined with little deformation, under the application of a temperature of at least 1600° C., preferably over 1800° C., particularly preferably over 2000° C., and if appropriate a load, to form a monolith, the components which are to be joined experiencing plastic deformation in the direction in which force is introduced of less than 5%, preferably less than 1%.