diff --git a/priv/templates/otp_lib.template b/priv/templates/otp_lib.template
index 605de9c9..1388dfb7 100644
--- a/priv/templates/otp_lib.template
+++ b/priv/templates/otp_lib.template
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+{variables, []}.
 {template, "app.erl", "src/{{appid}}_app.erl"}.
 {template, "sup.erl", "src/{{appid}}_sup.erl"}.
 {template, "otp_lib.app.src", "src/{{appid}}.app.src"}.
diff --git a/priv/templates/otp_rel.template b/priv/templates/otp_rel.template
index 450c5395..b75c1dac 100644
--- a/priv/templates/otp_rel.template
+++ b/priv/templates/otp_rel.template
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+{variables, []}.
 {template, "app.erl", "apps/{{appid}}/src/{{appid}}_app.erl"}.
 {template, "sup.erl", "apps/{{appid}}/src/{{appid}}_sup.erl"}.
 {template, "otp_app.app.src", "apps/{{appid}}/src/{{appid}}.app.src"}.
diff --git a/src/rebar_prv_release.erl b/src/rebar_prv_release.erl
index d084ad52..43a30ca4 100644
--- a/src/rebar_prv_release.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_prv_release.erl
@@ -31,6 +31,5 @@ init(State) ->
 
 -spec do(rebar_state:t()) -> {ok, rebar_state:t()} | relx:error().
 do(Config) ->
-    RelxConfig = rebar_state:get_local(Config, relx, []),
     relx:main("release"),
     {ok, Config}.