The invention concerns the field of ceramics and relates to modified composite silicon nitride powders as used, for example, for coating highly stressed components. It is the aim of the invention to provide modified composite silicon nitride powders and a process for their production by means of which silicon nitride coatings can be produced by prior art coating techniques. This aim is achieved by a modified silicon nitride powder in which silicon nitride particles are contained in an oxide-nitride or silicon binder matrix, where the binder matrix occupies 10 to 40% by volume of the total volume of the powder and the powder particle size d.sub.90 .ltoreq.100 .mu.m. The aim is also achieved by a process in which a mixture is made containing silicon nitride and/or silicon and one or more oxides or mixtures of oxides or containing silicon or silicon and silicon nitride, said mixture is homogenised and then granulated, subjected to single or multi-stage tempering in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere at a pressure of 0.5 to 100 bar ground.