A valve assembly includes a valve body defining a main flow pathway (28) and a bypass channel (52) for bypassing the main flow pathway. A ball (20) is located in the main flow pathway and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. When the ball is in the open position, an open pathway through the ball fluidly completes the main flow pathway to provide an ordinary flow, and when the ball is in the closed position the ball blocks the main flow pathway. A pressure relief feature (50) is disposed in the bypass channel (52), and the valve body further defines a pressure relief passage (62) comprising a clearance between an outer surface of the ball (20) and the valve body. The pressure relief feature (50) permits a relief flow from the bypass channel (52) through the pressure relief passage (62) around the ball (20), and to the outlet (24) to relieve excess pressure in the connecting inlet piping (22).