rebar3 release cannot find target build when rebar.config base_dir set

Question

When building an OTP release with rebar3 for an application, release process throw warnings that target and sources cannot be found when using the option: {base_dir,

A link to an application example with rebar.config

Result of running rebar3 release:

===> Verifying dependencies...
===> Analyzing applications...
===> Compiling nerlnetApp
===> Assembling release nerlnet_core-1.2.2...
===> There are missing function calls in the release.
===> Make sure all applications needed at runtime are included in the release.
===> clientStatem:init/1 calls undefined function inets:start/0
===> mainGenserver:init/1 calls undefined function inets:start/0
===> nerlNetStatem:wait/3 calls undefined function nerlNIF:call_to_get_weights/1
===> nerlNetStatem:wait/3 calls undefined function nerlNIF:call_to_set_weights/3
===> nerl_tools:http_request/4 calls undefined function httpc:request/4
===> nerl_tools:http_request/4 calls undefined function httpc:set_options/1
===> nerlnetApp_app:parseJsonAndStartNerlnet/1 calls undefined function jsx:decode/2
===> routerGenserver:init/1 calls undefined function inets:start/0
===> sourceStatem:init/1 calls undefined function inets:start/0
===> Warnings generating release:
*WARNING* Missing application sasl. Can not upgrade with this release
*WARNING* public_key: Source code not found: 'OTP-PUB-KEY'.erl
*WARNING* public_key: Source code not found: 'PKCS-FRAME'.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: ackHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: actionHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: castingHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: clientStateHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: clientStatem.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: guiHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: initHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: iotHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: jsonHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: jsonParser.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: mainGenserver.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: nerl.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: nerlNIF.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: nerlNetStatem.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: nerlTests.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: noMatchingRouteHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: parser.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: passHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: routerGenserver.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: routingHandler.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: sourceStatem.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: workerFederatedClient.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: workerFederatedServer.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: workerGeneric.erl
*WARNING* nerlnetApp: Source code not found: workerNN.erl