A method for controlling transmit power of a radio frequency integrated circuit begins by sampling a continuous transmit signal strength indication (TSSI) for a predetermined number of sampling cycles to produce a plurality of TSSI samples. The process then proceeds to determine a normalized TSSI from the plurality of TSSI samples. The processing continues by converting the normalized TSSI into an estimated transmit power. The process continues by comparing the estimated transmit power with a desired transmit power. The processing then continues by determining a transmit power error based on the comparison of the estimated transmit power with the desired power. The process then continues by adjusting gain of a transmit section of the radio frequency integrated circuit based on the transmit power error such that the estimated transmit power substantially matches the desired transmit power.