diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index c0c02f9e3..4de8fa9e4 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ defmodule EMQXUmbrella.MixProject do
 
     Mix.Generator.create_directory(bin)
     Mix.Generator.create_directory(etc)
+    Mix.Generator.create_directory(Path.join(etc, "certs"))
 
     Mix.Generator.copy_file(
       "apps/emqx_authz/etc/acl.conf",
@@ -174,19 +175,71 @@ defmodule EMQXUmbrella.MixProject do
       force: overwrite?
     )
 
-    # FIXME: check if cloud/edge!!
+    # FIXME: check if cloud/edge???
     Mix.Generator.copy_file(
       "apps/emqx/etc/emqx_cloud/vm.args",
       Path.join(etc, "vm.args"),
       force: overwrite?
     )
 
+    # FIXME: check if cloud/edge!!
     Mix.Generator.copy_file(
       "apps/emqx/etc/emqx_cloud/vm.args",
       Path.join(release.version_path, "vm.args"),
       force: overwrite?
     )
 
+    # required by emqx_authz
+    File.cp_r!(
+      "apps/emqx/etc/certs",
+      Path.join(etc, "certs")
+    )
+
+    # this is required by the produced escript / nodetool
+    Mix.Generator.copy_file(
+      Path.join(release.version_path, "start_clean.boot"),
+      Path.join(bin, "no_dot_erlang.boot"),
+      force: overwrite?
+    )
+
+    # This is generated by `scripts/merge-config.escript` or `make
+    # conf-segs`.  So, this should be run before the release.
+    # TODO: run as a "compiler" step???
+
+    conf_rebar_template = File.read!("apps/emqx_conf/etc/emqx.conf.all")
+    # we must not consider surrounding space in the template var name
+    # because some help strings contain informative variables that
+    # should not be interpolated, and those have no spaces.
+    conf_eex_template =
+      Regex.replace(
+        ~r/\{\{ ([a-zA-Z0-9_]+) \}\}/,
+        conf_rebar_template,
+        "<%= \\g{1} %>"
+      )
+
+    # FIXME: change variables by package type???
+    conf_rendered =
+      EEx.eval_string(conf_eex_template,
+        platform_bin_dir: "bin",
+        platform_data_dir: "data",
+        platform_etc_dir: "etc",
+        platform_lib_dir: "lib",
+        platform_log_dir: "log",
+        platform_plugins_dir: "plugins",
+        runner_root_dir: "$(cd $(dirname $(readlink $0 || echo $0))/..; pwd -P)",
+        runner_bin_dir: "$RUNNER_ROOT_DIR/bin",
+        runner_etc_dir: "$RUNNER_ROOT_DIR/etc",
+        runner_lib_dir: "$RUNNER_ROOT_DIR/lib",
+        runner_log_dir: "$RUNNER_ROOT_DIR/log",
+        runner_data_dir: "$RUNNER_ROOT_DIR/data",
+        runner_user: ""
+      )
+
+    File.write!(
+      Path.join(etc, "emqx.conf"),
+      conf_rendered
+    )
+
     release
   end
 
diff --git a/mix_release.sh b/mix_release.sh
index 729647e84..4166e069a 100755
--- a/mix_release.sh
+++ b/mix_release.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ sed -i -E 's#level => warning#level => debug#g' _build/dev/rel/emqx/releases/5.0
 
 
 # cp _build/emqx/rel/emqx/releases/emqx_vars _build/dev/rel/emqx/releases/
-cp _build/emqx/rel/emqx/etc/emqx.conf _build/dev/rel/emqx/etc/
-cp -r apps/emqx/etc/certs _build/dev/rel/emqx/etc/
+# cp _build/emqx/rel/emqx/etc/emqx.conf _build/dev/rel/emqx/etc/
+# cp -r apps/emqx/etc/certs _build/dev/rel/emqx/etc/
 
 echo "telemetry { enable = false }" >> _build/dev/rel/emqx/etc/emqx.conf