A balanced port control assembly includes a control element with a valve plug coupled to a valve stem and a pressure sensing labyrinth defined at least partly by the valve plug. The pressure sensing labyrinth provides for fluid communication between a sealing surface of the valve plug and a balancing diaphragm carried internally of the control element. The pressure sensing labyrinth includes at least one pressure sensing passage extending from the sealing surface and into the valve plug along a central longitudinal axis of the control element. So configured, fluid pressure resident on the sealing surface of the valve plug is also resident on the balancing diaphragm such that equal and opposite forces are applied to the control element.