Methods and apparatus for preventing the failure of slender syringe needles used for on column injection in gas chromatographs are disclosed. A needle holder designed to support the needle precludes bucking deflection beyond the maximum allowable value. In a preferred embodiment, the needle used is a tapered needle that has a proximal diameter and a distal diameter that is smaller that the proximal diameter. In these embodiments, the diameter of the bore through the needle holder is slightly larger than the proximal diameter to permit the full insertion of the entire needle structure. The needle holder bore diameter is sufficiently small, however, to preclude catastrophic failure due to buckling.