This behavior exists in .845 and .872.

Design problem

We have a loop ramp baseline following the right edge of pavement which is closer to the center of the circle. We're trying to establish reasonable limits of the loop ramp profile. 

At the very beginning of the alignment, we can get away with the Profile by Slope from Element tool directly from the local road baseline.

At the gore area, we can't get away with that, so we have a "turning line" at the edge of through lanes, representing a 2% cross slope from the baseline. As part of the task to establish a reasonable loop baseline profile, we want to project the profile of this turning line at the ETW onto the left edge of the loop ramp. From there, we want to project from the left edge of the loop ramp to the baseline at the right edge of the loop ramp.

Here's the catch: Geopak is telling us that it is a circular reference, because plan element representing the left edge of the loop ramp is an offset of the baseline.

So the workaround is to drop the rules on the left edge of the loop ramp. This is less than desirable.

Steps to reproduce and to work around

1. Draw two random lines. One will represent the ETW and one will represent the right edge of the loop.
2. From the one representing the right edge of the loop, use Single Offset Entire Element or any similar tool. Even taper. It won't affect the results. This will represent the left edge of the loop.
3. On the ETW, draw any profile and set it active.
4. Project the ETW profile to the left edge of the loop using any projection tool.
5. Open up left edge of the loop's profile model. Ensure that this projected profile as active for the left edge of the loop. (It should be automatic.)
6. Using Profile by Slope from Element, project from the left edge of the loop to the baseline of the loop.
7. NOPE. Geopak tells you it's a circular reference. N.B.: Project Profile To Element will work instead of Profile by Slope from Element, but that doesn't cover our needs here, does it? Begin the workaround. 
8. Now, construct your own profile directly in the left edge of the loop. Preferably one that's obviously distinct from the projection. Set the new profile line as active.
9. Repeat step 6: Using Profile by Slope from Element, project from the left edge of the loop to the baseline of the loop.
10. It works this time.
11. Back at the loop's left edge profile model, set the projection as the active profile. 
12. Enjoy.