diff --git a/priv/templates/simplenode.reltool.config b/priv/templates/simplenode.reltool.config
index 4248b9c..dc247cd 100644
--- a/priv/templates/simplenode.reltool.config
+++ b/priv/templates/simplenode.reltool.config
@@ -13,8 +13,15 @@
         ]},
        {boot_rel, "{{nodeid}}"},
        {profile, embedded},
+       {excl_archive_filters, [".*"]}, %% Do not archive built libs
        {excl_sys_filters, ["^bin/.*",
                            "^erts.*/bin/(dialyzer|typer)"]},
+
+       %% Including HiPE can cause issues generating your first upgrade.
+       %% If you plan to distribute HiPE in your release remove the
+       %% following line.
+       {app, hipe, [{incl_cond, exclude}]},
+
        {app, sasl, [{incl_cond, include}]}
       ]}.
 
@@ -25,8 +32,8 @@
            {copy, "files/erl", "\{\{erts_vsn\}\}/bin/erl"},
            {copy, "files/nodetool", "\{\{erts_vsn\}\}/bin/nodetool"},
            {copy, "files/{{nodeid}}", "bin/{{nodeid}}"},
+           {copy, "files/sys.config", "releases/\{\{rel_vsn\}\}/sys.config"},
            {copy, "files/{{nodeid}}.cmd", "bin/{{nodeid}}.cmd"},
            {copy, "files/start_erl.cmd", "bin/start_erl.cmd"},
-           {copy, "files/app.config", "etc/app.config"},
-           {copy, "files/vm.args", "etc/vm.args"}
+           {copy, "files/vm.args", "releases/\{\{rel_vsn\}\}/vm.args"}
           ]}.
diff --git a/priv/templates/simplenode.runner b/priv/templates/simplenode.runner
index bacce8d..78d6bae 100755
--- a/priv/templates/simplenode.runner
+++ b/priv/templates/simplenode.runner
@@ -50,6 +50,20 @@ ERTS_PATH=$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/erts-$ERTS_VSN/bin
 # Setup command to control the node
 NODETOOL="$ERTS_PATH/escript $ERTS_PATH/nodetool $NAME_ARG $COOKIE_ARG"
 
+# Use releases/VSN/sys.config if it exists otherwise use etc/app.config
+if [ -e "$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/sys.config" ]; then
+    CONFIG_PATH="$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/sys.config"
+else
+    CONFIG_PATH="$RUNNER_ETC_DIR/app.config"
+fi
+
+# Use releases/VSN/vm.args if it exists otherwise use etc/vm.args
+if [-e "$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/vm.args" ]; then
+    VMARGS_PATH="$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/vm.args"
+else
+    VMARGS_PATH="$RUNNER_ETC_DIR/vm.args"
+fi
+
 # Check the first argument for instructions
 case "$1" in
     start)
@@ -147,7 +161,7 @@ case "$1" in
         BINDIR=$ROOTDIR/erts-$ERTS_VSN/bin
         EMU=beam
         PROGNAME=`echo $0 | sed 's/.*\\///'`
-        CMD="$BINDIR/erlexec -boot $RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/$BOOTFILE -mode embedded -config $RUNNER_ETC_DIR/app.config -args_file $RUNNER_ETC_DIR/vm.args -- ${1+"$@"}"
+        CMD="$BINDIR/erlexec -boot $RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/$BOOTFILE -mode embedded -config $CONFIG_PATH -args_file $VMARGS_PATH -- ${1+"$@"}"
         export EMU
         export ROOTDIR
         export BINDIR
diff --git a/priv/templates/simplenode.app.config b/priv/templates/simplenode.sys.config
similarity index 100%
rename from priv/templates/simplenode.app.config
rename to priv/templates/simplenode.sys.config
diff --git a/priv/templates/simplenode.template b/priv/templates/simplenode.template
index 974c6f0..d074681 100644
--- a/priv/templates/simplenode.template
+++ b/priv/templates/simplenode.template
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 {chmod, 8#744, "files/nodetool"}.
 {file, "simplenode.runner", "files/{{nodeid}}"}.
 {chmod, 8#744, "files/{{nodeid}}"}.
-{file, "simplenode.app.config", "files/app.config"}.
+{file, "simplenode.sys.config", "files/sys.config"}.
 {template, "simplenode.vm.args", "files/vm.args"}.
 {template, "simplenode.windows.runner.cmd", "files/{{nodeid}}.cmd"}.
 {file, "simplenode.windows.start_erl.cmd", "files/start_erl.cmd"}.
diff --git a/priv/templates/simplenode.windows.start_erl.cmd b/priv/templates/simplenode.windows.start_erl.cmd
index b26e98a..f98c285 100644
--- a/priv/templates/simplenode.windows.start_erl.cmd
+++ b/priv/templates/simplenode.windows.start_erl.cmd
@@ -19,8 +19,18 @@
 
 @set erl_exe=%node_root%\erts-%erts_version%\bin\erl.exe
 @set boot_file=%releases_dir%\%release_version%\%node_name%
-@set app_config=%node_root%\etc\app.config
-@set vm_args=%node_root%\etc\vm.args
+
+@if exist %releases_dir%\%release_version%\sys.config (
+    @set app_config=%releases_dir%\%release_version%\sys.config
+) @else (
+    @set app_config=%node_root%\etc\app.config
+)
+
+@if exist %releases_dir%\%release_version%\vm.args (
+    @set vm_args=%releases_dir%\%release_version%\vm.args
+) @else (
+    @set vm_args=%node_root%\etc\vm.args
+)
 
 @%erl_exe% %erl_args% -boot %boot_file% -config %app_config% -args_file %vm_args%
 
diff --git a/src/rebar_rel_utils.erl b/src/rebar_rel_utils.erl
index bdf58d3..d9a1fc6 100644
--- a/src/rebar_rel_utils.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_rel_utils.erl
@@ -55,11 +55,16 @@ is_rel_dir(Dir) ->
     end.
 
 %% Get release name and version from a reltool.config
-get_reltool_release_info(ReltoolConfig) ->
-    %% expect the first rel in the proplist to be the one you want
-    {sys, Config} = get_sys_tuple(ReltoolConfig),
+get_reltool_release_info([{sys, Config}| _]) ->
     {rel, Name, Ver, _} = proplists:lookup(rel, Config),
-    {Name, Ver}.
+    {Name, Ver};
+get_reltool_release_info(ReltoolFile) when is_list(ReltoolFile) ->
+    case file:consult(ReltoolFile) of
+        {ok, ReltoolConfig} ->
+            get_reltool_release_info(ReltoolConfig);
+        _ ->
+            ?ABORT("Failed to parse ~s~n", [ReltoolFile])
+    end.
 
 %% Get release name and version from a rel file
 get_rel_release_info(RelFile) ->
@@ -170,4 +175,4 @@ make_proplist([H|T], Acc) ->
      Ver = element(2, H),
      make_proplist(T, [{App,Ver}|Acc]);
 make_proplist([], Acc) ->
-     Acc.
+     Acc.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/rebar_reltool.erl b/src/rebar_reltool.erl
index b1b4a4c..363b384 100644
--- a/src/rebar_reltool.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_reltool.erl
@@ -173,10 +173,17 @@ run_reltool(Server, _Config, ReltoolConfig) ->
                            [Reason])
             end,
 
+            {BootRelName, BootRelVsn} = 
+                rebar_rel_utils:get_reltool_release_info(ReltoolConfig),
+
+            ok = create_RELEASES(TargetDir, BootRelName, BootRelVsn),
+
             %% Initialize overlay vars with some basics
             %% (that can get overwritten)
-            OverlayVars0 = dict:from_list([{erts_vsn, "erts-" ++ erlang:system_info(version)},
-                                           {target_dir, TargetDir}]),
+            OverlayVars0 = 
+                dict:from_list([{erts_vsn, "erts-" ++ erlang:system_info(version)},
+                                {rel_vsn, BootRelVsn},
+                                {target_dir, TargetDir}]),
 
             %% Load up any variables specified by overlay_vars
             OverlayVars1 = overlay_vars(OverlayVars0, ReltoolConfig),
@@ -312,3 +319,15 @@ execute_overlay([Other | _Rest], _Vars, _BaseDir, _TargetDir) ->
 apply_file_info(InFile, OutFile) ->
     {ok, FileInfo} = file:read_file_info(InFile),
     ok = file:write_file_info(OutFile, FileInfo).
+
+create_RELEASES(TargetDir, RelName, RelVsn) ->
+    ReleasesDir = filename:join(TargetDir, "releases"),
+    case release_handler:create_RELEASES(TargetDir, ReleasesDir,
+              filename:join([ReleasesDir, RelVsn, RelName ++ ".rel"]),
+              filename:join(TargetDir, "lib")) of
+        ok ->
+            ok;
+        {error, Reason} ->
+            ?ABORT("Failed to create RELEASES file: ~p\n",
+                   [Reason])
+    end.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/rebar_upgrade.erl b/src/rebar_upgrade.erl
index 009715e..0cecaab 100644
--- a/src/rebar_upgrade.erl
+++ b/src/rebar_upgrade.erl
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 
 -export(['generate-upgrade'/2]).
 
+-define(TMP, "_tmp").
+
 %% ====================================================================
 %% Public API
 %% ====================================================================
@@ -141,22 +143,21 @@ run_systools(NewVer, Name) ->
     end.
 
 boot_files(TargetDir, Ver, Name) ->
-    Tmp = "_tmp",
-    ok = file:make_dir(filename:join([".", Tmp])),
-    ok = file:make_dir(filename:join([".", Tmp, "releases"])),
-    ok = file:make_dir(filename:join([".", Tmp, "releases", Ver])),
+    ok = file:make_dir(filename:join([".", ?TMP])),
+    ok = file:make_dir(filename:join([".", ?TMP, "releases"])),
+    ok = file:make_dir(filename:join([".", ?TMP, "releases", Ver])),
     ok = file:make_symlink(
            filename:join(["start.boot"]),
-           filename:join([".", Tmp, "releases", Ver, Name ++ ".boot"])),
+           filename:join([".", ?TMP, "releases", Ver, Name ++ ".boot"])),
     {ok, _} = file:copy(
                 filename:join([TargetDir, "releases", Ver, "start_clean.boot"]),
-                filename:join([".", Tmp, "releases", Ver, "start_clean.boot"])).
+                filename:join([".", ?TMP, "releases", Ver, "start_clean.boot"])).
 
 make_tar(NameVer) ->
     Filename = NameVer ++ ".tar.gz",
     {ok, Cwd} = file:get_cwd(),
     Absname = filename:join([Cwd, Filename]),
-    ok = file:set_cwd("_tmp"),
+    ok = file:set_cwd(?TMP),
     ok = erl_tar:extract(Absname, [compressed]),
     ok = file:delete(Absname),
     {ok, Tar} = erl_tar:open(Absname, [write, compressed]),
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ cleanup(NameVer) ->
             ],
     lists:foreach(fun(F) -> ok = file:delete(F) end, Files),
 
-    ok = remove_dir_tree("_tmp").
+    ok = remove_dir_tree(?TMP).
 
 %% adapted from http://www.erlang.org/doc/system_principles/create_target.html
 remove_dir_tree(Dir) ->
diff --git a/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/dummy b/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/dummy
index bacce8d..78d6bae 100755
--- a/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/dummy
+++ b/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/dummy
@@ -50,6 +50,20 @@ ERTS_PATH=$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/erts-$ERTS_VSN/bin
 # Setup command to control the node
 NODETOOL="$ERTS_PATH/escript $ERTS_PATH/nodetool $NAME_ARG $COOKIE_ARG"
 
+# Use releases/VSN/sys.config if it exists otherwise use etc/app.config
+if [ -e "$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/sys.config" ]; then
+    CONFIG_PATH="$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/sys.config"
+else
+    CONFIG_PATH="$RUNNER_ETC_DIR/app.config"
+fi
+
+# Use releases/VSN/vm.args if it exists otherwise use etc/vm.args
+if [-e "$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/vm.args" ]; then
+    VMARGS_PATH="$RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/vm.args"
+else
+    VMARGS_PATH="$RUNNER_ETC_DIR/vm.args"
+fi
+
 # Check the first argument for instructions
 case "$1" in
     start)
@@ -147,7 +161,7 @@ case "$1" in
         BINDIR=$ROOTDIR/erts-$ERTS_VSN/bin
         EMU=beam
         PROGNAME=`echo $0 | sed 's/.*\\///'`
-        CMD="$BINDIR/erlexec -boot $RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/$BOOTFILE -mode embedded -config $RUNNER_ETC_DIR/app.config -args_file $RUNNER_ETC_DIR/vm.args -- ${1+"$@"}"
+        CMD="$BINDIR/erlexec -boot $RUNNER_BASE_DIR/releases/$APP_VSN/$BOOTFILE -mode embedded -config $CONFIG_PATH -args_file $VMARGS_PATH -- ${1+"$@"}"
         export EMU
         export ROOTDIR
         export BINDIR
diff --git a/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/app.config b/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/sys.config
similarity index 99%
rename from test/upgrade_project/rel/files/app.config
rename to test/upgrade_project/rel/files/sys.config
index 3b7f6bd..d7677e7 100644
--- a/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/app.config
+++ b/test/upgrade_project/rel/files/sys.config
@@ -8,4 +8,3 @@
          {error_logger_mf_maxfiles, 5}           % 5 files max
         ]}
 ].
-
diff --git a/test/upgrade_project/rel/reltool.config b/test/upgrade_project/rel/reltool.config
index 22cec5e..9672abc 100644
--- a/test/upgrade_project/rel/reltool.config
+++ b/test/upgrade_project/rel/reltool.config
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@
           {copy, "files/erl", "{{erts_vsn}}/bin/erl"},
           {copy, "files/nodetool", "{{erts_vsn}}/bin/nodetool"},
           {copy, "files/dummy", "bin/dummy"},
-          {copy, "files/app.config", "etc/app.config"},
-          {copy, "files/vm.args", "etc/vm.args"}
+          {copy, "files/sys.config", "releases/\{\{rel_vsn\}\}/sys.config"},
+          {copy, "files/vm.args", "releases/\{\{rel_vsn\}\}/vm.args"}
           ]}.