You CAN place redstone dust on a piston. When powered the piston powers. However when the redstone is no longer powered, the piston retracts and the redstone drops. Now in 1.8.9 you cant even place redstone dust on a piston so I am not sure which is wrong: ability to place redstone on piston, or when you do so it breaks upon retraction.
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Added two more pictures to aid with reproduction

Same thing with levers.