Disclosed are systems and methods for improving wavelength control in tunable laser sources. Embodiments of the systems and methods include delivering a fraction of the light output from the laser to an optical filter subsystem. The optical filter subsystem is capable of outputting at least one filter response signal, and comprises 2 complementary optical etalon filters with nominally identical free spectral ranges but offset by nominally one third of the free spectral range. The filter response signal is processed in a control unit which executes a control algorithm to generate a tuning signal that is used to control the wavelength of the laser.