A re-driver circuit has pre-driver, intermediate, and output stages. Pre-emphasis on the output is generated by the intermediate stage and injected into an output stage. The intermediate stage is a frequency-tuned amplifier that has an inductive-capacitive L-C tank circuit that is tuned to a desired frequency of the output. The intermediate stage does not directly drive the output stage. Instead, an on-chip coupling transformer couples the L-C tank circuit to the output stage. The coupling transformer has a first inductor that is part of the L-C tank circuit in the intermediate stage, and a second inductor that is part of the output stage. Mutual inductance between the first inductor and the second inductor inductively couple a pre-emphasis voltage onto the output. The magnitude of the pre-emphasis can be changed by adjusting current in the intermediate stage.