Joint transmit error (i.e., carrier leak and I/Q mismatch) calibration can be implemented in a transmitter unit in a wireless device. DC signals can be superposed onto digital complex tone signals to generate calibration signals for joint transmit error calibration. The calibration signals may also be phase shifted and/or pre-distorted with digital I/Q phase to yield distinct calibration measurements that can be used for joint transmit error calibration. Digital scaling can be applied at the transmitter unit in accordance with a transmitter gain setting to maintain a constant receiver gain setting. At a receiver unit of the wireless device, the DC signals can be separated from the digital complex tone signals for transmit error calibration. Such a joint transmit error calibration can minimize calibration time, reduce the number of computations required for transmit error calibration, improve the accuracy of the transmit error calibration, and improve performance of the wireless device.