In some implementations, the output of a directly modulated laser (DML) includes nonlinearities with respect to the input signal driving the DML. When the DML is transmitting an amplitude modulated signal, the nonlinearities can induce noise into the signal, which makes it difficult for a receiving node to correctly decode the received signal. The system and methods described herein pre-correct the error caused by the nonlinearities of the DML by filtering (or pre-correcting) the data signal that drives the DML.