Gradle build lintVitalRelease NullPointerException : <p>Updated Android Studio from 3.0 Canary 3 to Beta 2, and the Gradle plugin from Alpha 5 to Beta 2. Debug builds just fine, but when trying to generate a signed APK for a release build type, this error keeps coming up. Have tried deleting the .gradle folder, .idea folder, Invalidate caches &amp; Restart and gradlew clean.</p>

<pre><code>14:16:32.483 [ERROR] [system.err] Note: Recompile with -Xlint:deprecation for details.
14:16:32.483 [ERROR] [system.err] Note: Some input files use unchecked or unsafe operations.
14:16:32.483 [ERROR] [system.err] Note: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.
14:16:37.434 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.434 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] FAILURE: Build failed with an exception.
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] * What went wrong:
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] Execution failed for task ':app:lintVitalRelease'.
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] &gt; java.lang.NullPointerException (no error message)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] * Exception is:
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution failed for task ':app:lintVitalRelease'.
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:100)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:70)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.execute(SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.java:63)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskOutputCachingStateExecuter.java:54)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ValidatingTaskExecuter.execute(ValidatingTaskExecuter.java:58)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.execute(SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.java:88)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.execute(ResolveTaskArtifactStateTaskExecuter.java:52)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:52)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:54)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.java:43)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.execute(CatchExceptionTaskExecuter.java:34)
14:16:37.435 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker$1.run(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:248)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:197)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:107)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:241)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:230)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.processTask(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:124)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.access$200(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:80)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:105)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker$1.execute(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:99)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.execute(DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.java:625)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.executeWithTask(DefaultTaskExecutionPlan.java:580)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.run(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:99)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:63)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:46)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:55)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutput.getOutputPath(BuildOutput.java:222)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.lambda$load$2(BuildOutputs.java:243)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.load(BuildOutputs.java:245)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.load(BuildOutputs.java:184)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.scope.BuildOutputs.load(BuildOutputs.java:140)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.BuildOutputsSupplier.lambda$get$1(BuildOutputsSupplier.java:55)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList.forEach(ImmutableList.java:397)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.BuildOutputsSupplier.get(BuildOutputsSupplier.java:50)
14:16:37.436 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.BuildOutputsSupplier.get(BuildOutputsSupplier.java:35)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.ide.AndroidArtifactImpl.getOutputs(AndroidArtifactImpl.java:135)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$AppGradleProject.&lt;init&gt;(LintGradleProject.java:206)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$AppGradleProject.&lt;init&gt;(LintGradleProject.java:192)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$ProjectSearch.getProject(LintGradleProject.java:949)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleProject$ProjectSearch.getProject(LintGradleProject.java:785)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleClient.createLintRequest(LintGradleClient.java:193)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.tools.lint.LintCliClient.run(LintCliClient.java:151)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.internal.LintGradleClient.run(LintGradleClient.java:209)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.Lint.runLint(Lint.java:359)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.Lint.lintSingleVariant(Lint.java:329)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at com.android.build.gradle.tasks.Lint.lint(Lint.java:134)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:73)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.DefaultTaskClassInfoStore$StandardTaskAction.doExecute(DefaultTaskClassInfoStore.java:141)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.DefaultTaskClassInfoStore$StandardTaskAction.execute(DefaultTaskClassInfoStore.java:134)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.DefaultTaskClassInfoStore$StandardTaskAction.execute(DefaultTaskClassInfoStore.java:121)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.AbstractTask$TaskActionWrapper.execute(AbstractTask.java:731)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.AbstractTask$TaskActionWrapper.execute(AbstractTask.java:705)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter$1.run(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:122)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:336)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor$RunnableBuildOperationWorker.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:328)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.execute(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:197)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:107)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:111)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:92)
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter]   ... 27 more
14:16:37.437 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] 
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildExceptionReporter] * Get more help at https://help.gradle.org
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildResultLogger] 
14:16:37.438 [ERROR] [org.gradle.internal.buildevents.BuildResultLogger] BUILD FAILED in 19s
</code></pre>
