diff --git a/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/restriction.rs b/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/restriction.rs
index 41f1ada7ec..3d53cdfd7e 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/restriction.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/restriction.rs
@@ -288,11 +288,13 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_attach_only_restriction(
 pub(crate) fn parse_activation_exemption_suffix(
     input: &str,
 ) -> OracleResult<'_, ActivationExemption> {
-    // CR 605.1a: the " unless they're mana abilities" carve-out, tolerant of both
-    // the ASCII and U+2019 apostrophe via the shared suffix combinator.
-    let mut parser = opt(value(
-        ActivationExemption::ManaAbilities,
-        super::shared::parse_mana_ability_exemption_suffix,
+    // CR 605.1a: MTGJSON oracle text uses the typographic apostrophe (U+2019),
+    // so accept both forms — the adjacent "can't be activated" predicate already
+    // does (see shared.rs / evasion.rs). Straight-apostrophe-only here silently
+    // dropped the exemption and wrongly blocked mana abilities (Pithing Needle).
+    let mut parser = opt(preceded(
+        alt((tag(" unless they're "), tag(" unless they\u{2019}re "))),
+        value(ActivationExemption::ManaAbilities, tag("mana abilities")),
     ));
     let (rest, exemption) = parser.parse(input)?;
     Ok((rest, exemption.unwrap_or_default()))
@@ -2876,6 +2878,48 @@ mod spend_any_color_to_activate_abilities_tests {
     }
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod activation_exemption_apostrophe_tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    /// CR 605.1a: MTGJSON ships oracle text with the U+2019 apostrophe, so the
+    /// "unless they're mana abilities" exemption must parse with BOTH apostrophe
+    /// forms — matching the adjacent dual-apostrophe "can't be activated"
+    /// predicate. With only the straight apostrophe, a U+2019 printing (Pithing
+    /// Needle, Bound by Moonsilver, ...) silently dropped the exemption and the
+    /// runtime wrongly blocked the permanent's mana abilities. This is the
+    /// building-block test for the whole class, driving the suffix combinator
+    /// directly rather than one card.
+    #[test]
+    fn exemption_suffix_accepts_both_apostrophes() {
+        for suffix in [
+            " unless they're mana abilities",
+            " unless they\u{2019}re mana abilities",
+        ] {
+            let (rest, exemption) =
+                parse_activation_exemption_suffix(suffix).expect("exemption suffix must parse");
+            assert_eq!(
+                exemption,
+                ActivationExemption::ManaAbilities,
+                "suffix `{suffix}` must yield the mana-abilities exemption"
+            );
+            assert!(
+                rest.is_empty(),
+                "suffix `{suffix}` left `{rest}` unconsumed"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Absent suffix stays `None` (the exemption is genuinely optional).
+    #[test]
+    fn exemption_suffix_absent_is_none() {
+        let (rest, exemption) =
+            parse_activation_exemption_suffix(" and other text").expect("must parse (opt)");
+        assert_eq!(exemption, ActivationExemption::None);
+        assert_eq!(rest, " and other text");
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod filtered_spend_any_type_tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/shared.rs b/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/shared.rs
index c69b62f3a8..006062c383 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/shared.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/parser/oracle_static/shared.rs
@@ -799,8 +799,16 @@ fn parse_activation_compound_tail(input: &str) -> OracleResult<'_, ()> {
         (
             tag(", and "),
             opt(alt((tag("its "), tag("their ")))),
-            parse_activated_abilities_cant_be_activated,
-            opt(parse_mana_ability_exemption_suffix),
+            alt((
+                tag("activated abilities can't be activated"),
+                tag("activated abilities can\u{2019}t be activated"),
+            )),
+            // CR 605.1a: accept the U+2019 apostrophe too (MTGJSON's form),
+            // mirroring the dual-apostrophe "can't be activated" tag above.
+            opt((
+                alt((tag(" unless they're "), tag(" unless they\u{2019}re "))),
+                tag("mana abilities"),
+            )),
             opt(tag(".")),
         ),
     )