A wavelength division multiplexing system and method featuring a wavelength monitor that is configured to receive a portion of a combined signal of wavelength division multiplexing channels and determine the wavelengths of each channel or the guardband between each channel in the combined signal. The wavelength monitor determines if there is excess laser drift for each channel in the combined signal. If excess laser drift is determined, feedback is sent to the transmitter for the signal with excess laser drift and the signal is adjusted to produce a target wavelength. The wavelength monitor may utilize optical intradyning in order to monitor the wavelengths of each channel in the combined signal.