A modulated RF carrier produced at the output of the polar transmitter's switch-mode power amplifier (SMPA) is conveyed to an output filter network comprising a harmonic low-pass filter (LPF) connected in parallel with an absorptive high-pass filter (HPF). Together the harmonic LPF and absorptive HPF pass the fundamental component of the modulated RF carrier to the polar transmitter's load while also absorbing higher harmonic components that would otherwise be undesirably reflected back toward the output of the SMPA.