An attachment system for a ceramic turbine engine combustor liner comprising: at least one combustor head-end component forming a substantially annular slot, the slot being defined by an inner radial wall, an outer radial wall, and a back wall, wherein a plurality of openings extend about and radially through the outer radial wall; a ceramic combustor liner having an axial upstream end, an axial downstream end, an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface, wherein a plurality of radial openings extend radially through the liner near the axial upstream end and are distributed about the periphery of the liner, the axial upstream end of the liner being positioned within the slot such that the openings in the liner substantially align with the openings in the outer radial wall of the combustor head-end component; and a plurality of pins, each of the plurality of pins being received within a pair of the substantially aligned openings (28,42), the pins being radially fixed to a portion of the combustor head-end component, the axial upstream end of the combustor liner being positioned in the slot so as to form a first gap between the outer peripheral surface of the liner and the radially outer wall of the slot, a second gap between the inner peripheral surface of the liner and the radially inner wall of the slot, and a third gap between the axial upstream end of the liner and the back wall of the slot, wherein the gaps (48, 50, 52) are in fluid communication, whereby the axial upstream end of the liner is positioned substantially adjacent to the back wall so as to control air leakage through the gaps (48, 50, 52), whereby the pins accommodate relative movement of the liner and the at least one combustor head-end component due to different rates of radial thermal expansion of these components, characterized in that the attachment system further comprises a spring positioned between and acting against the radially outer wall of the slot and the outer peripheral surface of the liner. at least one combustor head-end component forming a substantially annular slot, the slot being defined by an inner radial wall, an outer radial wall, and a back wall, wherein a plurality of openings extend about and radially through the outer radial wall; a ceramic combustor liner having an axial upstream end, an axial downstream end, an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface, wherein a plurality of radial openings extend radially through the liner near the axial upstream end and are distributed about the periphery of the liner, the axial upstream end of the liner being positioned within the slot such that the openings in the liner substantially align with the openings in the outer radial wall of the combustor head-end component; and a plurality of pins, each of the plurality of pins being received within a pair of the substantially aligned openings (28,42), the pins being radially fixed to a portion of the combustor head-end component, the axial upstream end of the combustor liner being positioned in the slot so as to form a first gap between the outer peripheral surface of the liner and the radially outer wall of the slot, a second gap between the inner peripheral surface of the liner and the radially inner wall of the slot, and a third gap between the axial upstream end of the liner and the back wall of the slot, wherein the gaps (48, 50, 52) are in fluid communication, whereby the axial upstream end of the liner is positioned substantially adjacent to the back wall so as to control air leakage through the gaps (48, 50, 52), whereby the pins accommodate relative movement of the liner and the at least one combustor head-end component due to different rates of radial thermal expansion of these components, characterized in that the attachment system further comprises a spring positioned between and acting against the radially outer wall of the slot and the outer peripheral surface of the liner.